Clipped Wings
by Blood Never Lies
Summary: Walter is saved by Hellsing after the Major's War but with his previous status damaged by treachery and Alucard settling scores for past grievances with him, can Walter - with all his new power as a vampire - resist abusing his new strength when things start to get ugly for him at Hellsing? And how will Integra and Seras deal with the returned Angel of Death? CURRENTLY RE-EDITING
1. The home coming

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.  
Welcome all, this is the re edited version of Clipped Wings. Its a work in progress and I'm currently working out the typo's and some plot holes up to the current final chapter before fresh chapters are added!  
**

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Three figures walked up the path of the Hellsing manor house, the leading woman was Integral Fairbrooke Wingates Helling, following at a respectful distance behind her, quiet and calm, was Alucard who carried the prone figure of a boy no older than fifteen. The boy was Walter Dollneaz, former butler, ex Trash man and traitor to the Hellsing family.

Following behind this group of her superiors and their captive was Seras Victoria, the newly blooded draculina of the Hellsing Organisation. She was loath to enter the mansion, but she had no choice. She'd witnessed terrible things inside that house not a few hours ago when the Millennium soldiers attacked it and now she had to go back and see them again whilst the memories were all too fresh, she was not looking forward to it.

Integra paused outside the house; she took a deep breath and opened the door. What met her was a charnel house, the smell of blood and buzzing of flies. Carnage littered the corridors of the house, bullet holes and blood had defaced the walls and pictures, the remains of bodies both friend and foe were everywhere where they had fallen.

As they made their way into their battered headquarters they found a small unit of men doing what it could to dispose of the dead properly; these few were all of what remained of the mercenary force called the 'Wild Geese' that Integra had hired to protect the grounds and interests of her family's affairs.  
They stopped their work and saluted her as Integra came in, she nodded a quiet respectful acknowledgement back to them; she knew words could not do justice to the comrades they had lost or the events that they had been forced to endure.

Seras came in slowly behind her boss looking like a lost puppy, with her head down. When she finally found the courage to look up at the squad, they immediately stood to attention in front of her and she gave them a tired, but reassuring smile that they all returned.  
Alucard ignored the men, and simply walked past them admiring what had transpired here. For a few moments Seras was angry at him for not showing these brave men the respect they deserved.

"Master!" Alucard said "He's waking up!" the two ladies turned and saw that in his arms the young figure of Walter was stirring and his eyelids were fluttering open. He gave a small moan like an overtired child and Alucard's lip twisted in distaste.  
Integra pointed at the tall vampire "Alucard, lock him in your cell! Don't let him out of your sight and don't let him wake up!"  
Alucard nodded and marched quickly down the corridor to the sub levels, as he did so he gave the boy a firm strike to his temple.  
Walter sighed and his breathing grew heavier, he was out cold once more.

Walter had been pushing Alucard for all he had in these last few hours in London, every ounce of the strength and skill of the 'Angel of Death' had been devoted solely to the task of fighting and destroying Alucard whilst the Major had turned his secret weapon on the Nosfiratu. Alucard had nearly lost that fight to the weapon, the trickery and subtlety had nearly cost him his unlife, the poison of Schrodinger was still within his bloodstream, trying to kill him even now. Alucard had to focus very hard to keep his mind from blending into the first officers and becoming trapped in an eternal loop.

Alucard finally reached his cell and dumped the boy unceremoniously onto the floor, and then he marched out and slammed the door shut. Then he waited as he had been instructed to, keeping his eye fixed on Walter whilst within he set about the task of undoing the mess that the Schrodinger had made of him,  
A while later Integra came down, Alucard barely registered her; he was so busy plucking his own memories and self out of the mixed jumble that was spinning around inside of him.  
Integra face was carefully composed and she looked into the cell at a man who in one evening had gone from a very aged man to a boy in his prime. A man who had been prepared to die for her and her beliefs, and who had in a few short hours been transformed into a vengeful creature of wanton destruction.

"You'll have to move your coffin out of there Alucard." she told her servant.  
Alucard nodded in assent but said nothing.  
She sighed and ran a long finger down the doorframe "I'm going to have to put a spell on this door…" she sighed bitterly "God I can still hardly believe I'm doing this for _Walter_..."  
Alucard finally stirred from his reverie and smiled at her. It wasn't a very pleasant smile, but in a strange way she was comforted that he'd given it to her.  
She sighed again and looked up at the No Life King, her mind racing through options… one of them suddenly came to her and for a second her heart felt lighter.  
But Alucard read what going through her mind as she thought about it and he shook his head at her to dissuade her from following the impossible hope.  
"That is an impossible task my Master. His involvement was too public for us to hide from them all now. In fact, the Knights have probably already put two and two together that Walter was the traitor in our midst."  
She grimaced as the reality hit her. There was no hope of salvation; there was only duty.  
Besides which she'd seen first hand tonight what happened to people who indulged in their own personal desires before doing their duty. Iscariots finest had all tried to take advantage of what had happened over London and in doing it they had damned themselves in the end and left nothing but martyrs and corpses.  
She turned on her heel and resolved to do her duty.  
"I'm going to make a report to her majesty." She informed her servant.

Seras met her halfway to her office and doggedly followed her all the way to her, pestering her for knowledge on what she was going to do about Walter.  
"Sir I know this whole thing has been bad, I know Walter's going to get punished, but whatever all those other people say about it… well surely _you'd_ never condone a death sentence?" Seras tried to get her point across as subtly as she could, and as quickly possible as she followed Integra up to her office.  
When no answer came from her master Seras tried once more to get an answer. She took a hold of her bosses shoulder and stopped her at the door to her study. "You surely wouldn't want him dead now that he's our prisoner, _right_ Sir Integra?"  
Her boss finally looked at her and her glance said she disagreed completely with that notion.  
Seras gasped in horror and released her arm "Oh no, Sir! You - you can't be serious!"

"Well, what do you expect me to do Seras?" Integra snapped back testily and shook herself free "I can't very well let him go, can I?"  
Seras paused, emotions conflicted within her, there had been too much death here... she felt tears threatening her again and she wiped them away angrily. When she looked up she saw that Integra had gone into her office.

"Sir wait!" Seras called out and ran inside after her "What about a lesser sentence like life imprisonment or house arrest? Doesn't he get any mercy?"  
Integra sat down at her desk to look Seras in the eyes as she replied with an air of finality "The penalty for traitors to her Majesty and the crown is death Seras. Even if I wanted to be merciful, I can't change that." she looked down at her desk and began to write a report.

Seras took her cue and left, she made it to the end of the hallway before she had to lean on the wall. As tears fell down her cheeks she slid silently to her knees and curled over as she silently let her grief flow out of her.  
There's got to be another way she thought bitterly There's got to be – hasn't there been enough death for one damn night?  
"There aren't any other options left police girl." A familiar voice from the shadows whispered to her.  
She opened her eyes and found she was staring at her master's boots. She slowly looked up into his pale aristocratic face and wiped her face dry.  
She rose to her feet and scowled at him.  
"So I've heard! But I want to know why there shouldn't be!" she shouted angrily at her Master.  
Alucard sighed and beckoned her follow him.

He led her down into the house, they walked in silence all the way to the sub levels, finally stopping at what had previously been his room and now served as Walter's cell.  
"Look inside Seras Victoria." He commanded her "and tell me what you see when you look at him?"

She used her 'third eye' and information flooded her senses. The heartbeat within the room was strong, perhaps too strong for it was pounding as though it were under incredible pressure. She followed the heartbeat deeper into the soul and finally broke into the mind of the individual.  
There should have been more within him than she saw, but there was nothing more inside that man than vague intentions and muddied thoughts.  
She'd known this man for a short while now and she'd been very fond of him, but the man she'd known was _not_ the person within that room.  
Whoever was within that room was a complete stranger to her… the only way to say it was that Walter Dornez didn't feel like Walter Dornez anymore.  
Alucard nodded "Yes. He is a lot more like the one we used to call 'The Angel of Death'; he is no longer the person we knew."  
Seras shook her head, her blond hair bouncing softly behind her ears "I don't believe that. There must be something left. You can't just undo everything that makes someone human in one night!"  
Alucard smirked at her for that comment. "Wrong." he replied.  
Seras growled at him and snapped "You bloody know what I mean! Whatever they did wasn't like what you did with me - they messed up his head and they put those weird chips in him! He admitted he'd been brainwashed before you two stated fighting! Why won't anyone even consider that we could change that?"

Alucard sneered "You want to show mercy because Walter might have been forced to do something he might not have chosen to do? You're a fool Seras Victoria, you still have a lot to learn."  
Seras snapped "I show mercy because it's deserved! How can you just punish him with death when you don't even know the whole story! It's a cowardly choice - you haven't even tried to think of a better solution, have you! Oh no, with you it's always 'just the way things are' and that's that!" she scornfully accused her Master.

Alucard regarded her silently. He clapped his hands in approval after a pregnant pause.  
"Well said Seras Victoria." he commended her. "A very passionate speech. But I can tell you this; I do know why Walter betrayed us. I also know that death is really the only choice we have."  
Seras frowned and humphed "How so?"  
Alucard looked into the cell and spoke softly "Walter Dornez had reservations about fighting against any of us, but they were removed so that he wouldn't hold back. You're right about that; we have his word he was brainwashed to fight us and I see no reason not to believe him.  
"But we know that he also chose to become their tool by accepting that artificial vampirism so he could fight me for the sake of his ego. He willingly accepted their surgery for a chance to fight me and that's treachery enough. That is why we judge him so harshly."

Seras looked confused "But, but I don't understand! He seemed fine with you before this so why would he do that?" she asked looking into the cell again.  
Alucard explained "Pride perhaps? It could have been a moment of weakness, or perhaps he was simply afraid to die and took an option that would save his life?"  
"I don't see him doing that Master…" Seras argued.  
Alucard shrugged "Walter as a child was a different man. A brilliant fighter and a brat who much like me used the challenge of battle as a means of relief from boredom. He was arrogant, brash and very very talented. However Walter has always judged his own worth against others - it's his greatest weakness. He's never grown out of doing that."

He leaned back against the wall and continued as Seras listened in silence.  
"In youth he compared his talents to mine, in his old age he compared himself to you. In his heart he has envied both of us our strength, and he's never been satisfied being second best - Millennium offered him a chance to be the best for once in his life. That is why he betrayed us, and if he did it once then why not again? So you see all we can really do is choose how Walter Dolneaz deserves to die because we can't trust a man who willingly chose to switch sides."

Seras stared back at Alucard, part of her dying to shout at her Master that he was mistaken, but she knew that what she was told was the truth. She just didn't want to accept it.  
Seras head dropped to her chest and she shook her head slightly. "Did... Did I do this...?" she whispered as guilt entered her heart "Was it me?"  
Alucard patted her head, not unsympathetically. "No. Understand this Seras; just as the choice of becoming a monster or accepting death was all yours to make, so his was as well."  
The tall vampire turned and walked away. "Think on it Seras Victoria. You will understand in time that this is what must be done."  
She was left standing alone outside the room, and Seras Victoria planned to stay there for a long time. She wondered for a moment if Walter wasn't getting the better deal - the world seemed almost too cruel to live in sometimes.

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**Okay, re-edited the first chapter and I'm much happier with it!  
Please R&R!**


	2. Blood never lies

_I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic._  
_-_

Inside her office Integra was bent over writing a report to her Majesty. It was difficult to write and she frequently had to stop and think however finally she put the last stop on it and she lit a cigar and leaned back for a moment.  
"How has she taken it?" Integra asked the empty room as she felt the shadows creep around her.  
"Poorly" Alucard replied. "She resists the cold truth like oil does water."  
Integra nodded at that. "It makes sense. Part of me can't believe I'm writing this report for Walter of all people."  
She looked outside the window, the moon making her blond hair paler and her skin the colour of porcelain. Alucard looked upon her, his master with her will of steel. For a moment he was pleased he had opted to remain by her side and not abandon himself to the void. It had cost him more than he wanted to admit to do it however, and even now he felt dangerously close to the void despite all the progress he had been making with his healing in the last few hours.  
It would be a long time before he could expel the damage of this 'poison' the Nazi's had put in his system.  
She seemed to see that something was out of place with him and she looked curiously at him, "The Major, he told me what he did to you... are you alright?"  
Alucard was about to reply he was fine, but the door burst open and Seras cried "Come quickly sir, something's wrong with Walter!"

The trio gathered outside the doorway of the cell. Within they could hear the ragged breathing and the gasps for air. Alucard went through the wall. After a moment the door opened from within and Alucard spoke softly "There is no danger. You may enter."  
Integra walked over to Walter. The boy was leant up against the black coffin, blood trickled from his mouth and his eyes were screwed shut with pain. His face was a mask of agony as he laboured for air through thick breaths.  
Integra looked at him and asked Seras "What happened?"  
The girl looked baffled "I don't know sir! I was waiting outside and suddenly I heard a noise from within, so I investigated and when I saw him like this I went to fetch you."  
"You left him alone!" Integra nearly snarled at the young girl "Never disobey me again! What if that had been a ruse?"  
Seras looked beseechingly at her "But sir! I didn't know what to..."  
"QUIET!" Alucard snapped testily.  
Shocked at his outburst, the two ladies eyes were drawn to the tableau of Alucard knelt over Walter and they listened to the whispering that was so soft it was like silk on skin.

"Do you hear me Angel of Death?" the No King asked the boy. "Do you want redemption?"  
The boy moaned and his eyes fluttered open. "A-Alucard..." Walter whispered. He coughed and more blood came up, spattering his clothes and the floor.  
"You will die if you do not find the strength to live Walter. Dying is so very easy, but living...? Ah, _living_ Walter. That is why man struggles and fights - he wants to live! It is why he fights the darkness so that he may live to see the light of day. Are you a man Walter or are you a monster?"  
The boy closed his eyes and did not move for a time. Alucard snarled in disgust.  
As the trio walked back towards the door they heard a soft whisper behind them.  
"Sir..."  
Integra turned and looked back at the Angel of Death. "What do you want?"  
Walter's eyes went dull "I don't want to die like this... please just shoot me!" he begged "Shoot me like the traitor I am!"  
Integra's eyes were hard and she replied "No. You will not die by my hand Walter Dolneaz; I will not grant you that satisfaction."  
Walter's eyes were open now and he tried to stand, his eyes were cold as he looked at them "I want to die..."  
"You will." Integra promised "But not now."  
"If you will not kill me then I shall make you!" The boy threatened, his fingers flexed and he crouched.  
Alucard was at his side in a flash. His hand lashed out and crushed the boy's fingers on his left side. Walter screamed and tried to beat the foot off with the other hand. A loud crack sounded as Alucard repeated his move on the other side, and Walter went limp, the pain of two crushed hands too much for him to cope with.  
"No Walter. That option I also deny you." Integra said softly, she nodded her thanks to Alucard.  
Alucard regarded the boy at his feet "Master, may I have some privacy?"  
Integra turned and walked out of the room. "Yes, but I want him fit for a trial before the round table, there we will decide what to do with him."  
Alucard looked at Seras his face unreadable. "You should stay to watch Seras."

Walter was laid down on top of the black coffin where Alucard slept. Alucard grinned as regarded the figure on the top of his bed, "Humans my dear Seras, are fascinating creatures." he remarked as he looked down upon Walter. "They will fight for the strangest of things; pride, love, greed, wealth."  
Seras was reminded of Pip as Alucard said that and she swallowed, but she kept listening as her Master continued.

"I am a far greater monster than any man in history, culpable for more deaths and misfortune than any man who has ever lived, and I am actually quite proud of many things I have done that make humans fear me." he said happily, but then his face clouded and it took on a menacing brood.  
"I have known love, hate, fear, joy and loss... but strangely this is the first act of betrayal I have known to affect me since I became the monster I am."  
He looked down upon the boy on the coffin and his eyes flashed red.  
Seras looked curiously at him. "Master, why did you want me to stay?"  
Alucard looked at Seras and she saw the trickle of red that fell down his cheek.  
"I shall be honest Seras, I do not know what will happen to me when I do this and I needed someone here to restrain me from doing something that would displease our Master."  
He leaned down and lapped at the blood that had trickled down Walters chin and waited for the memories to return.

_Do you truly believe boy, that you will be this way forever? The voice of the Major mocked a young Walter in Warsaw "Do not lie to yourself; one day all that you are will be gone. And only a feeble old man will remain; you are destined for much greater things than that."  
The Major looked into the eyes of an aged Walter on his blimp, the old man stood still, reliving memories of his past.  
"Did I not say once you were destined for greatness my dear Walter?" The Major smiled a reptilian smile at the butler "You were once the self-proclaimed 'Angel of Death' were you not? You were a machine of war; you were a God of war! A true warrior and went through my men like whirlwind! But look at you now, an old man. A weak old man, I might add, do you perhaps now regret your choice that you did not join us when I gave you the chance?" _

_Walter looked into the eyes of the Nazi and replied "I never have fatty." however there was little conviction in his voice; he was resigned to his death. He knew in his mind that there would be only one outcome of this meeting - the Major would inflict a terrible vengeance for what Walter had stopped him doing all those years ago in World War Two.  
He was so busy thinking about this he barely heard the Major continue "My offer is still open my boy."  
Walter looked at him and snorted "I'm hardly a boy anymore. Whatever you have planned you'd best get it over with. My reply is still the same; no."  
The Major cast a wicked grin at the Doctor over his shoulder before he rubbed his hands together "Oh? But my dear Walter, for what I had in mind I think you'd prefer to re-evaluate your stance."  
Walter stared balefully at the Major before he gave him his back, he looked outside at London burning. His London... God but he'd never have dreamed it could have come to this.  
"I had planned to return you to your prime, in return of course for your allegiance against a mutual friend of ours."  
Walter spun on his heel and he stared in amazement at the Major and the Doctor. "You'd do what to me?"  
The Major laughed "Ah, I thought that might interest you. Yes, I could restore your youth and give you even more power than you'd ever dreamed."  
Walter barked a laugh "Oh that old promise. Sorry, but that won't work on me. As I recall you've promised that to all those fools that we've killed so far. Immortality and power." he snorted "A foolish and impossible dream - only a coward would want to indulge in those sorts of fantasies." _

_The Major chuckled "Actually, those fools brought it on themselves. The young are reckless and impatient. I am neither; I know the one person who could truly defeat Alucard stands before me. I sent all of those others to their deaths because I wanted to test Alucard, but that is immaterial." he waved a hand expansively and lounged more comfortably in his chair. "Let us deal with the present Walter; look outside and tell me what you see."  
Walter looked but did not speak.  
"London burns, the citizens are dying. Hellsing is all but in my grasp - I have sent superior forces to crush them before I launched my initial attack on the capital of England. So even if your dear Integra finds her way through my army to her stronghold she will find nothing but ashes." His eyes glittered behind his spectacles.  
Walter snarled and turned, ready to launch wires that would tear this pompous Nazi apart. However no sooner had he raised his hands the Captain stepped in front of the Major. A loyal lapdog protecting his master.  
The Major laughed, Walter sagged in defeat. He had never defeated the Captain, not even when he was young and strong. Now he was too old... _

_"I wish my dear boy that you had taken up my offer all those years ago." The Major continued as though the Captain were nonexistent "It could have been glorious! You could really have proven your worth back then. War is a wonderful thing; it offers the young and brave a chance for glory. It allows the skilled to show off their talents. It gives the worthy recognition and reveals the unworthy for the dogs they are. Tell me, have you had such an opportunity since our last War?"  
Walter, lost in a moment of self disgust at his ability, mumbled "No, no I haven't."  
The Major shook his head sadly "Now, now, my dear boy don't be too hard on yourself. Though what I said about War is true, it is a fleeting thing. How many heroes are remembered today?"  
Walter reflected on this - the ones who were remembered were the ones who commits the greatest atrocities or thee greatest victories. Precious few accomplished either.  
"Walter? Are you still there?" The Major asked with a chuckle "I can see what you're thinking." _

_He nodded at the Captain who grabbed Walter and held his hands behind his back, the Major rose and walked over till he could look up into the butler's eyes "I can promise you two things Walter; one you will be remembered. You will either be known as the greatest fighter who ever fought for the Nazi's against the greatest monster of them all and defeated him. Or you will be remembered as the turncoat of Hellsing, the one who did the greatest harm to England. The Judas of the Round Table." _

_The Captain hit Walter hard in his stomach, the butler cried out in pain. As his world blacked out he heard the Major speaking with utter confidence.  
"Walter, the second thing I can promise is this; when the good Doctor is finished with you you will not care either way. You will be our equivalent of Alucard; you will be young, strong and above all obedient. Try to enjoy it my boy, not everyone gets the opportunity to fight in this sort of battle."  
Walter's last thoughts were of his Master and how he'd failed her so utterly..._

-  
Alucard's head snapped back, his teeth clicked together and his breath caught in his throat. After a few seconds of absorbing all the knowledge he let out that breath in a hiss that bordered somewhere between hate and pain.  
Seras looked nervous and she approached him cautiously "...Master?" she ventured "Are you... alright?"  
Alucard looked at her, he looked very old for a few moments, the lines that gave his aristocratic face such noble features seemed to have deepened and his face looked a little sallow. But it was the haunted expression in the eyes that made Seras uncomfortable; she'd never seen her Master off guard before. It looked wrong to her and she looked away. When she looked again he was gone.

-  
_Aha, the plot thickens._  
_Please R+R._


	3. Medical reports

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.**

* * *

Upstairs Integra sighed and picked up the telephone. She dialled the number to contact her fellow Knights. It rang and she patted her pocket for her lighter. When she had it in her grasp she opened the drawer and drew out a cigar.  
As she lit it she had a recollection of an aged Walter holding out this very lighter for her a few weeks ago, his kindly old face grinning with a confidence in her abilities that was unshakable.  
Her lip trembled and she had to take the cigar away as she wiped tears from her eyes.

She let out a shaky breath, but suddenly thankfully a noise from the receiver end of the telephone helped her to regain some self control.  
Islands voice sounded concerned at the other end of the line "Hello? Hello... Sir Integra are you there?"  
She cleared her throat and replied "Yes, sorry. Something in my throat."  
"I see." the voice implied the man at the other knew better, but though Islands was a gentleman he was no fool; Integra didn't want pity like other women and to offer it would be a mistake "I believe I know why you called; you need us to have an updated report about recent events."

Integra made an affirmative noise and Islands continued "I'm actually pleased you've called me Integra. I needed to talk with you about something that's been bothering me; did you know we never found the body of Walter Dolneaz after his disappearance?"  
"No, no I did not." Integra said as neutrally as she could.  
"But we did hear from a reliable source that you were seen carrying a 'casualty of war' as you left and we got some footage; a small boy dressed in black to be precise. What's bothering me is that I've seen that boy before; he was in a picture that your father showed me a long time ago in regards to Warsaw."

"That boy was Walter." She confirmed "He was made young again by some upgrade in those strange microchips we previously met to discuss. We have him hostage and I need you to summon the surviving Knights to a conference to discuss his sentence amongst the update about the recent events-" She paused as a flash of red in her office caught her gaze  
_"I wouldn't do that."_ A voice warned her from the shadows.  
Integra frowned at Alucard and tactfully ended the conversation with Islands "Islands? Something needs my immediate attention here - may I call you back? Good." she hit the end call button and glared at the Nosfiratu with the receiver still in her hand "This had better be good Alucard." she warned him.

"Well, that depends on your definition of good." he replied as he graced her with a twisted smile.  
"Stop bloody messing me around and get on with it!" she snapped.  
Alucard nodded and his smile disappeared "I believe Walter could be changed back to himself Master."  
Integra stopped dead in the motion of reaching for a cigar as the implications of those words dawned on her and she had to try hard not to react to that news "Explain this to me." she ordered him in calm tone of voice.

Alucard looked awkward and uncertain of how to begin, but as he started to explain it began to become clear to her. "Blood does not lie, and I've sampled his blood for certainty on this. The old Walter is still in there, whatever has been done to him is surgical and obviously complicated but ultimately it's still artificial, so it can be undone without harming the real thing."

Integra closed her eyes and thought the words; Oh God in heaven...  
Alucard grinned, and spoke up "He's not the one you should thank Master; thank that mad Doctor for botching the job." Integra looked directly at him "You're certain about this Alucard? You're not just saying this because..."  
Alucard shook his head and interrupted her "Just because it's Walter? No, you ordered me to kill him before, and I was going to and I still _would_. But this is something you needed to know. I must say your reaction is quite interesting." he added with a nasty smile.  
Integra hated Alucard sometimes; this was a very personal matter for her and he was enjoying her conflicting emotions like some kind of spectacle at a show.  
"Get out." she whispered fiercely with a warning glare. "I need to think."

Downstairs Seras looked into the face of the boy Walter who lay prone and unmoving. His eyes flickered and she walked to over to stand above him. As Walter slowly regained consciousness she raised her fists, ready to knock him out again if he tried anything. However no amount of mental reminders that Walter was their enemy now could stop the flinch when the boy looked up at her with a small sad smile and whispered "Oh... good evening Miss Victoria."

Seras sighed and lowered her fists. As the silence dragged she forced herself to reply "Hello Walter."  
The Angel of Death looked down at his ruined hands with a mixture of distaste and morbid fascination "Are you here to guard me? Or finish me off?" he asked her.  
Seras shook her head to put him at ease "Im here for neither of those things right now Walter, besides you aren't going anywhere right now. I don't really know why I'm here."  
He smiled at her again, his large blue eyes almost catlike in the gloom and as he gently spoke to her his voice was low and sly "You still don't know how to feel about me, do you?" he asked her softly.  
Seras said nothing and Walter turned his gaze back to regard his hands "These will heal in time you know; everything does with time and care."

The way he remarked about his broken hands... it amazed and disturbed her at the same time. He spoke in the same tone he would have of a watch that had stopped and needed winding up; it was like he was admitting that his crushed bones were an inconvenience to him right now and yet he could not spare the energy to be more than simply inconvenienced by it.

A small part of her was impressed by his mental fortitude to deal with an injury like that, the last person she'd seen to have their hand broken this violently was Jan Valentine, and even that cocky little wanker hadn't been able to repress a yelp of pain when Walter had ground them beneath his boot nor afterwards keep himself from grunting in pain when Walter had been grinding his bones more to get information about who he was working for...

As the memory came she also came to grips with the fact that Walter must have been deveiving them all the way back then too! She bared her teeth "Damn it Walter, how _could_ you!" she snarled at the boy accusingly, her eyes wet with tears of hurt.

The butler stared in shock and a look of fear flickered in his eyes for a moment.  
She slapped him across his face angrily and the boy gave a grunt as his head snapped to the side from the blow.  
She did it again, her fury mounting in her like a wild animal.  
Walter's face was going to be bruised after this but suddenly found she didn't much care and so she hit him again for good measure.

"Miss Victoria, please stop!" Walter begged deperately as he tried to sheild himself from her ire.  
This was the last straw; she gave a cry of anger, fuelled by the pain of all that they'd been through that she knew this man could have prevented had he chosen and this time she punched him in the face.  
"Please! I beg you - stop!" the boy pleaded, crawling back away from her now as fast as he could without the use of his hands or arms.  
Blood trickling from a split lip and his eyes were wet from tears of pain now but she did not let up; she followed him and grabbed a handful of his shirt and lifted him with ease, the boy braced in her grasp and lay limp and helpless.  
With a sag of defeat the boy shut his eyes as seras went for a punch... but this time she found it could not connect because something with a vice like grip had taken hold of her wrist.

Alucard tutted from behind her and chided her as he released his grip "Don't lose control of your emotions Seras. It makes you weak and predictable."  
"But-! But he's responsible for all this!" she spluttered as she dropped the boy and turned to face her Master, trying to convey the pain she felt at the butler's betrayal.  
"I know how you feel." he replied calmly "But I tell you now that some of your anger is misplaced. _Choice_ may not have been his luxury in the matter. But no matter; put aside that temper Seras, no amount of injury you could possibly inflict on this boy is going to hurt him as much as what my Master just approved will."

Walter opened his eyes and croaked through his bloodied lips "She has decided to kill me then...?"  
Alucard gave the boy a terrible smile and tutted at him "You wish Walter! No my little Angel, she's going to fix you up. You're going to be an old man again." he answered with devilish delight in his voice.

The boys breath caught in his throat and he whimpered softly as he shook his head in denial "...No! No, that's impossible!"  
Alucard's smile broadened "You tihnk not? Let me tell you boy, It's not impossible - it's _inevitable_. When the surgeon arrives we're going to see where those little chips in you are, and we're going to take them all out of you."  
As Walter paled he continued "and that means no more artificial youth for you, and _that_ means you'll be trapped as an old man once again - and since you're undead now then that's how you'll remain. _Forever_." He added with malicious delight.

The boy whimpered and his eyes closed tightly shut as he clutched his head and shook his head furiously.  
"No!" he howled as tears started to fall.  
In the thin light it was still obvious that they were the colour of blood and Alucard was satified thier work was done here for now.  
"Let's go Seras. Let's give little Walter some privacy to find comfort in his misery." Alucard advised, as he swept an arm around his Draculina's shoulder and guided her out of the room with him.  
As the door silently closed and locked Seras could still hear Walter's pitiful sobbing following them.

-

"This isn't exactly my regular working conditions Sir Hellsing." The surgeon warned Integra as they looked at the list of requirements he needed for the operation, they looked around at a room that looked as much a holding cell as it did an operating theatre.  
"This isn't exactly a normal person you're dealing with" she reminded the doctor.  
"Fair enough." the doctor conceded "I need a little time to find out exactly what's wrong with the patient."  
"Prisoner." Integra corrected him sternly. She was irritated at the doctor's answer but she reminded herself that this man hadn't heard of vampires and monsters until the previously this evening.  
However he was the best at hand, and reportedly a good doctor.

"How long?" she asked him.  
"I don't know." he admitted.  
That wasn't the answer she wanted to hear "I'm sorry Doctor but that's _too_ long for my taste. Here, I think you should examine this and it might explain things better than me." she handed him Walters medical history as she lit a cigar "But don't take too long looking through it doctor" she cautioned "Time is of the essence here; the faster time we make, the more chance we have of saving a good man I used to know called Walter."

Under heavy guard and restraint Walter was rushed to be X-rayed by the nurses assisting the doctor who were escorted by Seras, meanwhile the doctor was arguing that Intgra was rushing the operation and risking the patients life.  
"He was coughing up blood earlier! It's already at risk! I need you start immediately." Integra told the doctor.

"Look if I rush it this boy might have long lasting injuries - they could last his whole life!" the doctor protested hotly.  
"His whole life?" Integra echoed him with an incredulous look "Did you bloody look at that file?" she demanded, brandishing the medical file accusingly at him.  
"Oh come on Sir Hellsing! That file is for a sixty nine year old man, and that boy is barely sixteen!"

Something inside her snapped and she prodded the man with a sharp, thin finger as she snapped at him "That's right, my dear doctor! That _boy_ should be nearly seventy years old! That _teenager_ should be an aged old man who makes my cups of tea when he's not cleaning and fetching food for my other residents! He _was_ an old man less than twenty four hours ago, and he's _will be_ a old man before you leave this household! Am I clear?" she demanded him sharply.

The doctor looked at her like she was crazy, and hell she felt a little crazy...!  
"Just.." she pressed a hand to her forehead and took a deep breath and pushed the file into his hands "Just read that file, and ask Seras about anything you don't understand. You'll see chips inside of Walter, that's what you're looking for. Make sure you X-ray all of him." she left him alone after that, hoping he would have the good sense to follow her instructions this time.

Later still the doctor and his team were busy at the operating table, and though Walter was under heavy sedation he was still strapped down for their safety.  
The doctor made another small incision as he looked carefully at the x-rays, then pushed the surgical tongs into the wound and withdrew another bloodied square from within the boy. Gradually a small dish next to him was being filled up with these small microchips though it was time consuming work.

The doctor finally sighed and a nurse wiped his brow. The final cuts were being patched up and Walter was still stable. "There's no more inside him." he said confidently to the waiting Sir Hellsing looking in from the window above them.  
She pressed a button and her voice came through on a speaker "Are you certain doctor?" she asked.  
The man shrugged "As sure as I can be."  
Intgra paused and said "Very well. One final X ray please doctor, and if it's an all clear after that then you have my leave to go and my sincere gratitude."

* * *

**Please R+R, that's Chap 3 re edited, as you can see Alucard is made a bit colder than he was previously.**


	4. Changes

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.**

* * *

In another cell elsewhere in the Hellsing Manor, Alucard lay sprawled out on his tall wooden chair that looked so ominously like a medieval throne, alone in the dark room he was once more tackling the poison within his system. He delved deep within himself one more, searching through his haze of collected memories that were so long and numerous that modern computers would have struggled to cope with the information.

Alucard snarled and pushed them away in seconds of attempting. It was useless! The grim irony in all this was that he'd relied on these souls to keep him alive for all this time and now they were going to be the death of him! He'd actually acquired too many damn souls for his own good - it would be impossible to search through them all and still be able to perform his expected duty with the cat boy still corrupting his body like a plague.

If only he could have been incarcerated when they'd returned! A mere handful of years alone in isolation would have been enough time to put this mess to one side... alone and without distractions he could have done away with the corrupted parts of himself like useless baggage, but now…  
Alucard dismissed the hope of isolation; he had the same chance of being locked away as he had of fighting Father Anderson again.  
It would never be, he was invaluable now and his Master seemed to be dwelling a lot on how close she had come to losing him these days...  
which was interesting to say the least.

He grinned in the darkness with the pleasure of that knowledge and he stopped and listened to the other sounds of the household; the doctor who was operating on Walter was patiently reminding himself every step of the way that the boy wasn't really a boy.  
Seras seemed to be having a rest, but he could hear her dreams. He could also sense the Frenchman within her.

He was pleased that she had finally drunk blood; it had developed her more fully into one of them and her true journey would begin soon. However from the pity and guilt he also sensed within her for beating up Walter it seemed no amount of killing, fighting or blood would ever break that annoying trait of being humane, it still seemed to be etched within her soul, like a moral compass guiding her way between 'right' and 'wrong'.  
He wondered if she would ever stop being able to feel as a human did as he had so long ago...

It wasn't something to dwell on though. He reached over and picked up a blood bag from the table at the side of his chair. He idly ripped the top off and dribbled it into the glass on his side table. Then he rose and shrugged his long coat off, plopping down the floppy brimmed hat he wore on the arm of the chair and neatly placing his sunglasses onto the table before he raised the glass to his lips.  
He sipped at the blood, savouring the coolness that the ice had given it. It wasn't potent as warm blood was, and there was no rush of memories. This blood literally lacked the full bodied flavour of a kill.  
He sipped more. Suddenly his stomach twisted inside of him and a second later the No-King doubled over and retched the blood out.

He groaned at the unpleasant sensations from within his stomach. That damn Schrödinger! He couldn't even drink blood anymore without his presence infecting his food!  
Alucard felt the sensation within him growing in intensity, that nasty crawling sensation from inside his system was spreading.  
The No-King let out a grunt of pain and fell to his knees, the world spinning in front of him as the feeling began to multiply… he realised then that if he didn't fix this soon he was done for. He would vanish and nothing would be able to bring him back.  
Well, at least I'd have privacy, he thought before rational thought began to slip away.

In the theatre the boy lay unmoving, the scars had healed and he lay there shivering. His face was a mask of pain. Integra looked upon the room with a critical eye and she turned to the doctor.  
"This can't be right doctor. You've missed one." she accused.  
The doctor looked down "I'm not a brain surgeon and I've never had to do this sort of operation before." he wasn't angry but his tone was defensive.

Integra looked at the prints of Walter's X-Rays. She bit a lip and tried to think. Where could any more chips be hiding...?  
"Is it inside his head?" she finally asked.  
"No. I checked thoroughly."  
Dammit! She thought, if only I could see inside of him...  
An idea had come to her, and she briskly walked down the corridor to find Alucard.  
"Wait here doctor." She called as she hurried away "I'll be back."

She approached the room in the sub levels. She pushed open the door.  
"Alucard?" she asked him "I need a-" her eyes fell upon the figure sprawled out at the foot of the chair, his long black hair partly obscuring his face, blood was over his chest and on the floor.  
"Alucard!" she cried out in alarm.  
As she reached him she saw his eyes flicker up to meet hers. They were milky and his face looked... odd.  
If he'd been alive she'd have sworn it was a fever or..."You're sick." she whispered, leaning down to his level "Aren't you?"

He did not speak for a time, but finally his lips moved and he croaked. Fortunately she was close enough to see his lips form the word "Blood..."  
She looked around and her eyes fell upon an unbroken packet of blood on the cold stone floor near her.  
She tore the top off and pressed it to his lips, the Nosferatu drank it down greedily, his tongue even crept out to catch the last few lingering drops as he sighed in relief.  
His face then contorted, and with a cry he leaned up and retched it all back out again.

Integra looked at him for a second and then put her hands beneath his arms and tried to lift him.  
"Got to..." she strained "Get you to the doctor..." God he was heavier than she thought!  
However the No-King then started to walk along with her and her load lightened. Alucard whispered "And what's a... doctor going to do?" his lips were gummy with congealed blood "take my temperature..?"  
Integra started up the stairs with him.  
Alucard pressed the subject "He can't help me Integra... not with this..."

Integra grunted "What's wrong... exactly?"

Alucard explained it as best he could for her and finished by saying "You see my Master, if the cat boy stays too long within me I'll lose all my nine lives."  
Integra was appalled "Bastards!" she hissed.  
Alucard made a noise to imply he agreed. He looked haggard, his face was drawn and he looked much older around his eyes than his face would have implied otherwise.  
As they staggered past the window Alucard looked out, "A beautiful night..." he whispered "… such… such a full moon..."

Integra looked out, all she saw was clouds. She hoped he wasn't hallucinating...  
Alucard whispered "Take me out there Integra."  
She looked at him, startled by his use of her proper name.  
"I have an idea." The vampire whispered.

The doctor looked over the scans again, utterly baffled by the mystery that he couldn't find this 'missing chip' that was hidden within the boy... he went through them once more; the head was fine, the body was fine, the arms and legs were fine...  
Ah, hold on! He brought it up on a computer and tried to magnify image of the hands.  
He looked closer at the scan of the boys broken hands, Integra had warned him not to fix them and he'd taken her advise. There was something about that boy that just felt… well, _wrong_.  
He frowned and kept his gaze on the hands, of course it could have been a splinter of bone, but just to be sure perhaps they should check...  
He pressed the button and called for the nurses to return to the theatre.

Outside Alucard shrugged himself off Integra and knelt on the grass.  
"When I was a little boy my father used to have his own method of curing illness." He said softly to Integra.  
She watched him from behind, the clouds had moved and indeed the moon was bright and full, making his pale face glow in the light.  
His eyes went up to it and he continued "I was often given too much rich food. It used to upset my stomach."  
Integra smiled "and here you are drinking blood like its wine, how things change..."  
Alucard chuckled, the irony wasn't lost on him either "Indeed." He agreed.

He looked back at her and smiled "Well, whenever I started to vomit my father would take me outside, sometimes in the middle of the night, and he would put his fingers down my throat and force me to vomit the food out and the supposed illness with it."  
Integra made a face. "Sounds like such a caring father." she replied sarcastically.  
Alucard gave her a look "My father was my father." he said gruffly.  
She was silent at that comment, slightly creeped out by the familiarity of the line... how many times had she used that phrase to defend her own father?

Alucard grunted "Well anyway, perhaps there is something in the method. If my body cannot remove the illness naturally then perhaps I should do as he did to me so often all those years ago."  
Integra was puzzled "But you just said the cat boy was inside the souls within you."  
Alucard nodded "Precisely, so I need to expel all the lives from within me and the Schrödinger along with it."

Integra was impressed "And that'll be it, will it?"  
Alucard nodded but looked away "Yes... but there is one little detail."  
Integra waited.  
"If I get rid of the blood, I get rid of the souls. I'll lose about ninety percent of my recovery rate, and we'll have to resort to some older methods until I feed off people again." he looked at her "It will limit my effectiveness, it's your descision my Master."  
Integra thought about it and finally made her mind up.  
"Do it."

Inside the theatre the doctor and the nurses carefully sliced open the boys hand in search of the illusive microchip.  
"Easy now." the doctor cautioned "there's broken bones in there. Now carefully lift..." as the skin was pulled back he sighed in relief - the smallest edge of something metallic was visible alongside the bones.  
"Alright, now I'm going to remove this last one."  
As the surgical tongs pulled it out the boy suddenly winced and groaned despite being under heavy sedation, behind him the heart rate monitor began bleeping madly as his heart rate raised dangerously fast.  
Alarming as it was, it was nothing compared to the shock of the change that was happening to Walter body in front of their eyes...

Outside Alucard growled in his throat, his eyes glowing a deep red. For a few moments the moon reflected the glow back, bathing him a red aura for a few heartbeats. Alucard's growl rose in volume and finally he leaned forward, his flesh melting and body parts dropping away from his rapidly decomposing torso.  
For a second Integra caught sight of a wicked grin amidst the chaos on her manor grounds, then it was swallowed up as blood rapidly began to exit the flesh mess.

Integra stepped back, horrified despite her knowledge of much of Alucards history.  
As the souls began to appear she swallowed hard, they appeared as they had died - drenched in blood and gore, wounds all over them, their faces contorted in horror and fear. However no sooner had they arrived did they change once again, and she saw them as they had lived; proud Hussars, determined Ottomans, Nazi soldiers, American police, civilians from Transylvania… more and more came and went.  
A shrill shrieking noise like a boy screaming was coming from within there somewhere.

Finally the Schrödinger appeared, the young boys face was set in a mad grin, for a moment Integra was reminded of the Major and snarled at the sight.  
However rather than reanimate the boy collapsed forward for he was quite dead; he had cut off his own head and the apparent suicide did not seem to allow him the same release as the butchered souls that Alucard had fed off... perhaps it was because he had not willingly fed off him..?

Intega's mind did not dwell on it as from in front of her a throaty chuckle came from the mist that was forming on the spot where Alucard had been lying. Seconds later a horde of bats swarmed the area and as they formed a black shadow over it the chuckle became a powerful laugh.  
She smiled and lit a cigar, seconds later her servant was knelt in homage in front of her.

"Master, I am once again yours to command."

The doctor let out a cry of shock and he and the nurses backed away, the boy was shaking madly on the table, despite the restraints on his arms and legs. His skin aged and his bones creaked as they grew. The hands knitted back the broken flesh and bone into perfect, though much older, digits.  
The hair lengthened, gaining touches of grey and the face lost its childish delicacy and developed rapidly into a handsome aristocratic face, which in turn developed the wrinkles of age and lost the elasticity of youth as it returned to the butlers original age.

Walter gasped and opened his mouth in a silent scream. His aged hands hooked and clawed at the table, fighting the straps and trying to kick his feet. His bared teeth clenched together as though he were fighting some deep set internal pain and Walter Dolneaz fought it for exactly seven seconds, before he suddenly went limp.  
His hands slackened and his feet went limp. His head lolled to one side and the heart rate monitor went flat. The continuous tone registering that the heart had ceased to beat.

The doctor swallowed and shakily advanced. He looked at the clock on the wall and whispered "Time of death..."  
"Doctor look!" a nurse shrieked and pointed wildly at the patient.  
On the table Walter' eyes had snapped open. They were a deep wine colour that bordered on the scarlet and suddenly the old man looked down at his limbs, his face registered the change in horror and he let out a moan.  
Suddenly the head snapped up and looked furiously at the doctor and his assistants.  
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" the Butler roared at them furiously.

* * *

**Chapter Four re edited.  
please R+R.**


	5. Agree to disagree

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.**

* * *

The doctor swallowed hard and the three of them backed away to the safety of the far wall. The old man snarled at them on the operating table and struggled to get free.  
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?" he demanded angrily of them once again.  
The doctor tried his best reasonable tone, which would normally have worked on most angry patients.  
"We've have to conduct surgery on you, you've been turned back into-"  
The butler on the table howled angrily and with a grunt tore the straps on his arms and wrists from their holdings.

The doctor was starting to feel alarmed and nervous at this point; clearly this patient wasn't in the mood for placating and he didn't know what to do to stop this 'Walter' fellow... perhaps he should put him under then leave it to the professionals..?  
He decided that was indeed the best idea; he would do that then go and get Sir Integra once this patient had been anesthetized "Nurse..." he called as he turned to look for assistance.  
He stared at an empty room and felt fear blossoming in his gut, the nurses had gone.

Walter sat up on the table, reached down and ripped the remaining restraints free. He seemed to realise that this man before him had no hope of stopping him. His eyes never left the doctors who now seemed numb and paralysed with shock, then with a smirk the butler rose dramatically to his feet on the table and after a seconds pause he nimbly leapt up over the doctor to block the door, barring his escape.  
The doctor gasped; this sevently year old man was fitter and more nimble than most trained gymnasts!

The old man's face was calmer now, but no less murderous.  
"You will undo what you did to me this instant." the butler informed him, in a tone that demanded obedience.  
The doctor shook his head "I... I can't! All I did was take out the chips, your master told me that it would repair you."  
Walter seemed to recall that someone had told him this would happen to him... his mind was foggy and everything hurt at the moment. And deep within him was a burning need to drink. He looked upon the doctor and smiled.  
"I see. You truly can't do anything?" he asked him with an imploring glance.  
The doctor shook his head. "No I can't! I -I'm truly sorry that you aren't happy but..."  
Walter smiled again but it was humourless, he raised a hand to stop him talking.  
"Now, now my dear fellow. Let's not be too hasty, I feel that a hot drink would rather help my mood..."

The doctor nodded as though agreeing, but then quickly tried to dash around him. The aged butler grabbed a handful of his shirt and dragged him into a hold and the doctor screamed as Walter pulled him close and grabbed him by the throat.  
The sound of the mans rushing blood seemed to drown out everything else and Walter licked his dry lips...

"Put him down!" a familiar voice cut through the reverie.  
Walter looked up, in the doorway, flanked by the two nurses stood Seras Victoria. She didn't have her gun, but that didn't make her any less formidable now she was a fully blooded vampire.

The old man inclined his head politely "Why, Miss Victoria! What a pleasure to see you again my dear!" he said it with a smile. It would have been quite charming and proper were it not for the squealing gentleman in his grasp and the red eyes that Walter was looking at her with.  
Seras faltered at his tone though, "Walter...?" she implored "Walter if that's you then please let him go, you can't possibly want to do this!"

The butler's face screwed up in thought and after a second he said "Hmm... no my dear, I rather think I do. You see, I've just had surgery performed against my will when I clearly asked for a termination."  
He smiled sardonically as Seras' face registered hurt that he clearly wasn't the old man she'd hoped to be reunited with; this was still the Angel of Death.  
Walter continued "This is somewhat annoying; you see, I had rather hoped that I'd be dead before you could do this to me, but here we are." he squeezed the doctors neck more tightly and hissed "And this gentleman is responsible for me being this old wreck that I'm now stuck as once again!"

Outside Alucard's head snapped up and he grinned in a feral way. "Ah, Walter's up and about I see."  
Integra face went pale and she said "No. No I told them to wait for me..."  
"You mean the doctor and his assistants? Well, they haven't. It seems he's in a rather unfortunate predicament now. Such a shame..." Alucard replied, sounding rather unfazed about the matter but Integra was already running back into the house as Alucard turned to see her reaction.  
He grinned. Well, it looked as though the 'Angel of Death' was back on his feet, and vampire though he was, Walter wasn't getting any younger...  
He disappeared into the ground and a shadow of eyes crept its way to the bowels of the Hellsing manor.

Seras had waited as long as she could and tried to get Walter to see sense, if she didn't do something about this now then that poor doctor was history.  
She snarled and leapt at Walter. The butler waited, calmly watching her leap towards him.  
His eyebrow raised and his mouth twitched into a small smile and he threw the doctor forward, Seras watched the man fall onto his chest.  
She was only a foot away from striking distance when Walter responded to her challenge.

Walter threw his arms back over his head and flipped his body in a graceful arc so he was timed with her landing, as his feet rose from the floor he tucked them in...  
Seras saw what he was doing and raised her hands to block the kick that would land squarely on her chin.  
However she realised too late that Walter had been deceiving her, he pushed his body up off the floor with his arms and he kicked both his feet out as he did so, planting them into Seras stomach and sending her sprawling onto her back.

She let out a choked cry of pain. Walter's cool eyes narrowed in the few seconds he was still moving in the air.  
Seras saw him intent and rolled. Walters feet barely missed crunching onto her skull.  
As she rose the old man was already aiming a tall round house kick to her head again, clearly aiming to land a decisive blow early in their match.  
She ducked it and then again with the next one that neatly followed the first. The old man was in excellent form; each kick was a step closer to her and every step was even matched with an attack to force her into the defensive and keep her retreating.

She looked back and saw the wall, then sensing when the next kick was going to come she sidestepped it, then grabbing the foot she pulled Walter into a throw that caught him off guard.  
Walter cried out as his balance was spoiled, then let out a cry of pain as Seras flung him into the wall, driving the wind out of him.  
"I'm sorry Walter!" she cried out "Please stop this! I don't want to fight you!"

"What a pity, because I really want to fight _you_!" The butler snarled and shakily rose to his feet, clutching his side and exhaling hard from the pain.  
He looked over to the cowering doctor and the nurses. His eyes went hard and cold again.  
He went for the helpless pair but a second before he began his intentions two hands came out from the wall and grabbed his wrists.  
Walter cried out again and kicked as he was lifted off the floor till he dangled a few feet from the ground.  
Behind him, just next to his ears, came the throaty, mocking laughter of Alucard.  
"Why my dear Angel, don't you like flying?" he taunted.

"Damn you!" Walter shouted "Release me!"  
Alucard mocked him "Shan't little boy."  
Walter hissed and then pressed his feet against the wall and pushed off with all his might, pulling a surprised Alucard out of the wall with him. The two men hit the table, then the floor and then they both rolled together for a few feet.  
Alucard growled in anger, for he had taken the brunt of the fall.  
Walter sprung to his feet as nimble as a dancer.

Seras grabbed him "Stop it Walter, we want to help you!" she implored him, looking deeply into his eyes.  
Walter grabbed her arm and twisted her into a hold, her arm trapped painfully behind her back and with a snarl he threw her forward into Alucard who was now rising for a challenge.  
Caught off guard again, the former Count grabbed his Draculina and but then her momentum made both of them fall back onto the floor.

The doctor and his assistants screamed as Walter ran at them, however he flung them out of the way and bolted out of the door.  
Alucard, Seras straddled over his front, huffed in irritation and pushed her off him.  
"He going for his gloves!" the vampire snarled angrily.  
Seras watched her Master run off in hot pursuit of the Butler and then a second later she called a warning over to the doctor for him and his co-workers to follow her, then she ran for the barracks.  
She hoped for their sake that the remaining Wild Geese were still packing up their kit as she ran there, because if Walter got a hold of those gloves then they'd need all the support they could get.  
For a fleeting moment she also had time to wonder where Sir Integra was.

Alucard knew many things about this household and he had many dark magicks that he could use to get past the old family butler.  
However that butler had been working here for all his long life and he knew every shortcut and secret passage in the house and Alucard was weakened from his recent bloodletting.  
Alucard used his third eye to see through the walls and past the normal boundaries of sight... the gloves were still next to the spare clips for his Casull in his coat!  
Alucard concentrated and slipped through the walls, reappearing through the wall to his room he ran past the blood on the floor and retrieved his long red coat from the chair, then donned it swiftly.

He heard Walter arrive breathless at the door and he drew his Casull triumphantly from within the coat, grinned and turned "Well Walter, looks like you lose the race! How can you hope to beat me without..."Alucards smile disappeared, for Walter was standing in the doorway and somehow he was wearing the same gloves Alucard had in his pocket!  
"Did you really think I wouldn't keep spares?" the Butler chided him.  
Walter looked at the mess in the room from Alucard's previous retching and he tutted in reproof "Quite a mess you've made in here Alucard!" he commented.

Alucard sneered "Don't worry Walter, you won't have to clean it once I'm done mopping the floor with you!"  
A wire snapped into existence out of the darkness and tore a long gash into the coats arm, stinging the flesh beneath it from the whip.  
"I'm curious Alucard" Walter said as he closed the door behind him "Why haven't you used any of your tricks yet? It's not like you to not use your full arsenal when you fight superior opponents."  
Alucard said nothing.  
Walter smiled and raised an eyebrow "I'm guessing you can't do it."  
Alucard sneered "Who said I was fighting a superior opponent Walter?"

The old man shrugged "Well, lie to me if you want, we both know better what I can do. Now before we start our battle to the death, why don't you fix up that cut on your arm? I wouldn't want an unfair advantage."

Alucard looked down, and indeed as Walter had just said there was blood running down his arm, the coat had soaked up much of it at first but it had spilled over and now dripped to the floor.  
He paused and realised he wasn't going to be able to heal in this fight... and that pause was telling to Walter his suspicions were correct.  
"I knew it!" Walter crowed gleefully.  
Alucard raised his Casull and fired the magazine till it was empty before Walter finished speaking.

The butler seemed to dance through the air, the bullets missing him as he whipped past them. He counted them in his head, in twelve shots Alucard would need to pause to reload.  
When that inevitable pause came the wires flew from his grasp and hit the mark square and true and bound the vampire within their net.  
"This time you die!" the Angel of Death promised Alucard darkly.  
Alucard hissed as they wrapped from his arms to his chest, his legs were forced together, Walter snapped a spare wire and wrenched Casull from his grasp. Then they tightened, cutting into his skin. They were pulled tighter still until the blood ran freely, Alucard yelled in pain and willed his body to hold together.  
Then Walter pulled hard, aiming to rip the finest agent in Hellsing into bloody pieces.

He was interrupted as sword flew out and cut the steel wires before embedding itself in the throne like chair.  
Walter looked shocked then turned to see Integra staring disapproving at him.  
The butler bowed mockingly "Good evening Sir."  
Integra snarled "Don't you bloody talk to me like that!"

Walter sneered "No. I think I will. You aren't my Master anymore."  
Integra smiled sardonically at him "How wrong you are."  
Walter frowned "How so?"  
Integra smirked now "Consider yourself reemployed and under surveillance. Tell me now, much do you recall about yourself Walter?"  
The butler frowned and waited for her to explain herself.  
"Of being you. The man you were before… _this_. " she waved at him as though he were no consequence.

Walter smiled in realisation "Oh that! Well, not much, I'm afraid." his voice was soft and mocking and he tapped his head "It's all gone. Cut out. *Kkktt*!"  
He made a chopping gesture with his hand to exaggerate the point.  
Integra looked down at the floor "I see."  
Walter gently spoke "You should have killed me when you had the chance Integra."  
Integra pointed to the still bound and bleeding Alucard "If they're all gone Walter, then why can Alucard see memories in the back of your skull?"

The butler frowned in irritation "He sees them to because he wants to see them!" he replied testily.  
Integra raised an eyebrow "Truly? You think too highly of Alucard, Walter - he wouldn't give a damn if you had them or not if I told him to kill you."  
Walter snapped "But you did tell him, remember! You told him to do that before and he didn't! Why didn't you kill me when I was still chipped!" he demanded.  
Integra's hand whipped out and struck Walter across the face.  
The sound echoed for a second and she growled "Don't you snap at me, you mongrel!"  
Walter was too shocked to speak.

"They cut out your memories did they? Wiped the slate clean? I don't buy that bullshit. You're saying there's absolutely nothing left of my old Walter in there? Don't you bloody lie to me butler, I warn you, because I am not of a mood to be trifled or messed around with!"  
"I speak the truth, there is nothing left of the man I was." Walter said a little huffily.

"So you're nothing but an Angel of Death now? A Shinigami?"  
He nodded and smiled "As I said before, I am what I truly was meant to be; an unfeeling Angel of Death!"  
She sneered "What, a God of War, eternally young and powerful? That's not what I see. I see an old man, with only a stubborn and selfish pride that's been manipulated. But I can forgive that, because I know the real you has more to him than pride. What I see before me is not a real person Walter; but a fabrication of what Millennium wanted you to be for them. You're a _thing_."

She looked down at the blood on the floor, then at Alucard who was busy unravelling the wires that bound him "Do you think I'm wrong Walter?" she asked "Indulge me."  
"What can I say my Lady Integra? I feel as I feel, and that's real enough to kill you!" the butler spat.  
"But Walter, didn't you just say you have no feelings?" she asked him mildly.  
The butler paused and scowled at her.

"You want to be a God of Death. But I want my butler back. Bit of an impasse isn't it Walter?" she asked him.  
"What do you want Integra – spit it out so I can kill that thing behind you!" Walter growled.  
The Hellsing Director raised an eyebrow "I'll make you a wager, Walter, something that will settle our dispute. If you can prove my point wrong - that your 'feelings' are in fact _yours_, then the first life you take shall be mine."

* * *

**Done. This chapter was one of my favourites to write!  
Please R+R.**


	6. Thirst for knowledge

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.**

* * *

"Well Walter, do you accept?"  
The butler cocked his head to one side, "And what happens if I'm not interested?" he asked her.  
She smiled at that and he noted her face had a very... _Alucard _quality to it. She must have an ace up her sleeve. "Well, then I suppose I'll have to put a bullet in your head." she answered.

Walter smiled coldly at her "I see. Are you so certain that you can?"  
"I'm accurate." Integra answered confidently.  
"Ah, but I'm quick." he reminded her, enjoying this moments diversion that Integra offered him.

"Whilst I've always enjoyed a conversation with you Walter," she interrupted him "I've noticed that you're avoiding an answer my question; do you accept my challenge? Yes or no?" she asked him firmly.  
Walter frowned and moistened his lips as he thought about it "Tell me more about it first Integra, and then I shall tell you my answer." he offered.  
She shook her head "No Walter. You either agree and don't argue or you say no and we go from there. Now make your choice."

The butler regarded the young woman before him; Integral Wingates Hellsing. So young, so determined and so very, very beautiful... yet that beauty was not just the attractiveness of an intelligent, well put togther young woman. It was also the same beauty that one finds in a well crafted sword.  
It would serve him well to remeber that Integra was capable of being ruthless and making the hard decisions when she was pressed to it.

Yet here she was laying down a challenge that offered her unconditional surrender to the mercy of his wires if she lost her wager...?  
He was amused by her arrogance; to think that she thought she knew him better than himself!  
Still...  
He was annoyed at something within him urging him not to accept and to call her bluff. _Do not to go down that path_, his  
subconsious was warning him _underestimating her will be your undoing! Don't do it!_

"Is something the matter?" Integra asked him as the silence dragged out "You seem to be under a lot of pressure to make up your mind."  
Her arrogance and pride were rubbing his nerves the wrong way now; former master or not there was a limit to his patience for her mockery!

"So be it then." he muttered darkly as his mind was resolved to teach her a lesson "Very well then Sir Integra Hellsing of the Hellsing Organisation, I agree to this little game of yours. But I promise you'll be sorry that I accepted your offer." he warned her.

"Well we'll just have to see, won't we?" she smiled at him confidentally at him and pulled a cigar out of her jacket. As she reached into the other pocket she tutted irritably to herself "Bother... where's my damn lighter...?" she grumbled to herself.

Walter's hand twitched for the spare lighter he always kept in his waistcoat got such an occasions when his master never had one-  
He suddenly froze and mentally slapped himself for thinking like that! Gripped the hand he'd raised to get the lighter into a clenched fist he lowered it to his side, where the hell had that come from...?

She looked at him and something within her eyes was visible now, her confidence and emotions were being revealed like an inner light and she smiled softly at him.  
"I saw that." she warned him with a playful edge in her voice "But I'll remind you Walter that you always instructed me as a girl that it was no bad thing to have good manners. So be a dear and grant me a potential last request; light my cigar for me one last time please."

Walter swallowed and with only slight reluctance he flicked the flame into existence for her use.

"Thank you Walter." she said gratefully and keeping her hair out of the way she lit her cigar over the flame as she inhaled upon the tobacco. Enjoying it for a moment she let out a breath of blue smoke, looking fondly at him for what he thought was the first time since he'd revealed himself a traitor, he noted how she seemed very at ease with this moment despite her circumstances.

"Don't you take a smoke Walter? I believe I saw you with a cigarette not a few hours ago...?" she commented.

He nodded and reached for the pack of cigarettes that he usually kept in his pocket... but as his hand patted his waistcoat and he snorted in disgust. It seemed the higher class were getting lax; for Integra was absent a lighter for her cigar and he was out of coffin nails for his pleasure!

"Shame" Integra sympathised with his absence of tobacco "All right then, here you are." she offered him her cigar in a resigned tone.

He stared at the barely smoked cigar as thought it were something disgusting to him. "No." Walter said as he kept his hands firmly by his sides.  
She regarded him curiously "No, Walter? Come now, that wasn't a request and you'll hurt my feelings if you refuse..."

"To hell with your feelings!" he spat and snatching the cigar from her he threw it on the floor and snuffed it out under his shoe, spitefully grinding it into oblivion as his face coloured in anger.

Alucard watched the conversation between his master and Walter with growing pleasure. Now free of the wires that had been binding him he made his way over to his chair and took a seat to enjoy the show. He only regretted that he had nothing to eat for the blood he'd wasted earlier might yet be needed by another his this went on.

His beloved master was cool and collected as usual, but Walter... oh no, Walter was most definitely _not._ He grinned in delight at the conflict he saw inside his ols friend's head.  
Walter was a wreck now; inside his head there were too many contradicting emotions and conflict. All that confusion was all but paralysing for the old man.  
But at lease he hadn't been lying about having things cut out of him, the No Life King noted that the butler was absent a few important memories that should have been in there that Alucard could recall sharing with him.  
But it didn't really matter. Forced amnesia was still something that he knew could be fixed.

But it still didn't take away the humour he felt about how Walter was seriously in deluding himself by calling himself an 'unfeeling God of Death'.  
Really? God's of Death didn't get wound up over something as trivial as someone offering them cigars because they though that they might want to enjoy a smoke.

Alucard shook with silent laughter at how wonderfully twisted fate could be sometimes - the Major had promised that Walter wouldn't care once they were finished with him as much as he'd promised Walter that he could best him after the surgery? Well, not for the first time those Nazi's had really failed at keeping their promises hadn't they?  
Ah poor deluded Walter... not even realising now how very expendable he'd been to their designs even when they'd transformed him into his prime, and even now still trying to have faith in promises that were hollow and empty as the air he breathed!

As the laughter bubbled out of him he had to lean on his chair and try not to collapse as the laughter escaped his lips and his body shook with a sadistic glee at poor Walter's situation.

Integra looked perplexed at his behavior but she turned her attention to her butler "That was a good cigar Walter. _My_ cigar." she added crossly.

"Damn you Integra! What game are you playing with me?" Walter snapped at her angrily.

Integra made a bored face at him "Yap, yap, yap." she cut him off. She tilted her head, her long ash blonde hair falling loosly down over her shoulders as she did so and regarded him from behind her spectacles "Are you quite finshed? That was very childish wasn't it?"

Behind them Alucard was still chuckling, his laugher bordering on the insane as his giggling began to get hysterical.

"And what's so funny?" Integra demanded from him as he showed signs that he was slightly more in control of himself and calming down.  
Alucard wiped his eyes "It's just all just so funny...! Don't you get the joke Master? You too Walter, you of all people should see your situation in this farce, surely?" he asked the butler.

He was irritated at Alucard's words, for he felt he was somehow being played here and yet he couldn't see how it was being done and it was starting to get to him. "Shut it Alucard."

Alucard lounged on the chair "Very well, I suppose the night is getting on" he agreed and with a look of interest to his Master he pulled her sword out of his chairs leg and offered it to her.

Integra nodded approvingly at his actions "Ah _very good_ my servant, you see what I intend to do?" she purred at the vampire.

"I do." he replied with a hint of excitement. He raised the edge of the blade and deliberately cut his hand allowing blood to run freely "But I believe what I can help you in this task myself." he commented as retrieved the fallen glass from the floor and allowed the dripping wound to pool its contents in the bottom of its bowl.

Walters eyes widened with hunger as he stared at that glass and its delicious contents... oh but he was thirsty!

Integra nodded in satisfaction and followed his lead, her blood welling up on a deep cut on her finger which she then added to the glass with its small amount of blood.

Alucard swirled the wine glass and mixed the two like a cocktail. Noting his Master finger he looked up at her questioningly and she nodded. He hungrily lapped at her wound with his long tongue, a pleased smile crossing his face at the rare treat which savoured for a few seconds as she took the glass away from his grasp.

Looking over to Walter who had been watching the scene with a growing hunger in his belly and a strange touch of jealousy at the regard being shown to Alucard and not himself she offered the glass to him.

"You must be famished Walter, do take a drink won't you?"

The Butlers eyes went to the glass hungrily but his gaze went wary as he smiled slyly at her "Ah, this is a trick! This blood will kill me." he stated.

Alucard had finished his treat and he now snorted with contempt at Walter's words. "If she wanted you dead I'd have finished you off after I broke your fingers you idiot."

Walter stared at the glass in his former Master's hands. His mind screamed not to drink it - somehow his subconsious was convinced this would kill him.  
However a more primal urge also screamed to drink the damn blood because he was _so_ hungry right now!  
Finally his pride settled the matter as he realised ultimately he was _afraid_ to drink it and that was why he was hesitating.  
Taking the bull by the horns he cast one last furtive glance at her before he took the glass from Integra's hands.

Integra raised an eyebrow "Backing out Walter?" she asked him with a hint of mockery in her smile.

The seventy year old eyes glared daggers at her, _enough of this!_ he thought savagely. His lips curled in a terrible smile. "I hope you're prepared for death Integra. If this doesn't kill me then I'm going to kill you slowly for goading me like this." he promised her.

As raised it in a toast to the pair he slowly tilted it back and let the contents fall down his throat.

Integra stared at the butler and prayed she'd done the right thing with this. She didn't want to be wrong.

Alucard rose with a pleased smile and clapped "Bravo!" he cheered his old friend as he watched him drink. He waited until the butler was done before he smiled craftily "You didn't know it Walter, but all those thoughts you've been having that you're trying to repress right now? They're _you._ In found there was still a little bit left of you we recognised in your blood. So now you've got _our_ blood in you, you will now be able to see yourself as we know you."

Walter looked around for a moment and the two looked at him expectantly.  
After a few loing seconds had passed he looked directly at them with a nasty smile. "Oh dear... unfortunately it seems nothings changed! What a pity! Still, how were you to know Alucard?" he offered sardonically "I suppose it's time to collect my reward, after all you _did_ give your word to me just now Integra..."

He suddenly froze and his eyes widened in shock as he began to see something from his past. He opened his mouth and began to cry out in horror as a memory surged completely unbidden to the forefront of his mind.

_"Walter..." Integra whispered in the back, then she cried out desperately "Hurry up!"_

_The butler hammered on the accelerator and sped the car into full gear. They poughed through London for a few hundred yards but suddenly the bulter stiffened in the front and slammed on the brakes. Had he not been such a good driver the car could have flipped from such handling..._

_She was worried, what the hell was up with him... "Walter what's wrong?"_

_The butler inhaled sharply as in front of them a shape appeared in the flames. __His voice was tight with concern but clear  
"Lady Integra, back up the car immeditely... please go find another route to flee. Please, do as I say."_

_"Walter!" she barked, about to command him to explain his strange behaviour._

_Walter ignored her and stared straight ahead, his voice now more commanding "Never look back! No matter what! Drive at full speed!" __he opened the door and she let out a cry of concern.  
__He was stern with her "Please, go now. Drive as fast as you can... AS FAST AS YOU CAN!" he urged her "Do not come back for me for any reason! Do you understand? Keep driving at full speed, __regardless of what happens."_

_He was now out of the car and walking towards the shadowy figure ahead of them._

_"Walter!" she tried one last time in her most commanding tone, but the butler merely paused and shouted __"NOW! I'm not sure how much time I can buy you before they catch up."_

_And with that she knew the butler had resigned himself to the task of protecting her at all costs.  
__She would not accept that.  
__She got out and called after him "Butler!"_

_Walter paused ahead of the car and replied softly "Yes sir..."_

_She warned him firmly before she did as he'd instructed her "This is my order, come back alive at any cost... AT ANY COST!" she told him twice to enforce that she would not accept his life as a sacrifice no matter how noble or selfless the __cause was._

_He turned and gave her his kindly old uncle smile "Yes sir... I'll follow your order as commanded."_

_And with that she was in the drivers seat. She pulled away, her heart breaking with emotion as she drove off in the opposite direction of Walter and his mysterious nemesis.  
__She prayed she hadn't just let Walter get himself killed._

Walter screamed and thrashed desperately on the floor and as Integra and Alucard watched him she was not without some feeling of pity for her old friend.  
Alucard however grinned and watched the inner turmoil with a sadists satisfaction.

"Well master, you won't need to punish him after this!" he crowed.

Integra spun on a heel and pointed a finger sternly at him "Be quiet Alucard." she growled.  
On the floor before them Walter had stopped his kicking and lay quite still, were it not for his trembling lips she might have believed him dead from his turmoil.

She looked down at the sword in her hand. Clearly her plan had worked and her butler had seen something to snap hi out of his induced amnesia or brainwashing... an idea blossomed in her head to bring him back to the world.

"Just a few more moments master!" Alucard pressed her as he saw her intentions "There's no need to hurry. Let's give Walter time to recall everything before we wake him."

The Butler was whimpering now, his cold voce gone replaced by the weak tremulous voice of an old man caught in a moment of weakness "Alive at any cost! Alive at any cost! I'll follow your order as commanded!"  
He appeared to be remnicising some former order of hers. She suspected it was the last one she'd given him as it was still a very powerful one she'd been recalling.

She knew then that this was enough. The time was now. SHe handed the sword to Alucard and spoke loudly for Walter's benefit "Alucard you will obey my command. Walter is clearly beyond repair and lost to us, so I suppose I must fulfil my end of the bargain and offer my life."

Walter's eyes rolled and he moaned weakly as he transfored into the elderly man he had formerly been, he was still quite caught up in his private recollections "Failed... failed utterly! Oh god..." Walter was crying freely upon the floor now, the tears running down his true face "What have I done!" he screamed in horror at himself.

Integra watched him sadly "Alucard," she said softly as she lowered herself to a kneeling position "cut my head off."

Alucard rose the blade and said firmly "Yes, my Master."

Walter's eyes snapped open and focussed on the scene before him. Integra was knelt with a sword poised over her head and the look of Alucard stated all the rest he needed to know.

"NO!" he screamed and in a flash he was up on his feet and tackling Integra out of harms way.

Alucard's eyes glinted. Perfect. He swung the weapon in his hands with a masters precision.

Walter hit the floor at the same time as Integra who was completely unhurt as she had believed she would be. There was a thump as Walter's head hit the floor seperately.

* * *

**Re-edited. I'm much happier with the format now.**


	7. Perks

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.**

Walters head bounced once before coming to a stop just below Integra. She looked down, aghast at the sight of the head and face of the aged

butler.

In a second she pounced on Alucard. "You-! You-! You Monster! Animal! BASTARD!" she snarled and struck him. Her small closed fist was actually

quite hard and Alucard grunted from the shock.

The sword fell from his hands, Integra grabbed fistful of his shirt and heaved him back into his chair. The No-King let out a cry of shock then as he

saw Integra reaching for her gun his hands snapped out and he struggled with her for it.

"Leave it Master!" he urged her, trying to calm her.

She snarled "I'm going to kill you - that man there was ours once more and you-!"

Alucard heaved her away, Integra sprawled onto the floor.

The world spun before her eyes, and there were three Alucards for a short few seconds but her gaze corrected itself. She vaguely registered that

she'd never been in this much shock before. Seeing a man you've known all your life mercilessly beheaded wil leave you a little shaken like that...

She shook her head and reached for her face, her glasses weren't on her nose anymore. She looked around for them and noticed them in the

gloom a few inches away. She saw something else slithering in the dark, she thought she could almost see...? But no that was impossible, only

Alucard could do that couldn't he?

She reached out and put her glasses on. Sure enough blood was trickling towards the corpse instead of away from it!

"I... I... Alucard..?" she stammered.

The agent stood above her, grinning at her reaction.

"Yes, Master?" he asked innocently.

She stood but her gaze wouldn't leave the impossible sight. "Why is the blood doing that?"

Alucard chuckled "Well it seems Walter decided to live after all."

Integra finally tore her gaze away to look at her servant "I don't follow." she replied.

Alucard smiled "He drank my blood as well, and I've simply made him the genuine atricle. He's already learning how to feed from a distance, it

won't be long before Walters back on his feet."

Integra nodded "But why cut his head off then?"

Alucard sneered "Master, Walter's head is not as well organised as you'd hope. When I transform I can choose how old I look, I can choose my

own appearance and _I can fix all damage done to me_."

Integra's eyebrows raised in understanding "You're letting Walter rebuild himself then? You aren't worried about any repercussions for the

beheading?"

Alucard's mouth twisted in distaste "I would not accept a chipped arteficial freak in this household Master. They are abominations! I won't stand

any more of their filth in the world! Removing those chips from him before took away the cause but not the symptom of Walters illness. Like the

Schrödinger within me could not be removed by anything short of removing all of the souls and blood, so Walter's betrayal and all the surgery that  
turned him into a chipped freak could only be removed if Walter could alter his own DNA structure. Besides - he'll obviously want to lose a few

years, think of the perks! There will be a marked improvement in the quality and timing of his future service to you."

He grinned at her, amused by his own wit.

Integra nodded tiredly, not in the mood for jokes. "Fair enough Alucard. I suppose I understand that, and I suppose we have the space after

recent events to accomodate another vampire now..."

Alucard smiled "Go arrange whatever you need Master. I'll bring Walter to you when he's quite finished."

Integra took one last look at the body of the floor which had now almost finished draining all the spilt blood in the room from Alucards earlier

mess.

"Fine." she muttered "Send him up when he's done Alucard. You come too. We all need to talk."

Upstairs she ran into Seras who was escorted by two members of the Geese.

"Sir, it's Walter! He's-!"

Integra raised a hand "Don't fret about Walter Seras."

"But sir-!" the Draculina protested

Integra patted Seras head, the strangley paternal gesture made Seras stop in mid sentence and she looked puzzled.

"Good soldier." Integra smiled at her "Good girl Seras. Now don't fret about Walter. He's been taken care of." her tone was considerate and

soothing.

Seras looked past Integra's shoulder, though she had to go on her tiptoes to do it.

"Is he..?" she asked ina small voice.

Integra laughed "Seras, he was dead from the moment he was chipped! Come on, follow me. I need a cigar and I'm fresh out except a few odd

ones in my desks drawer."

Seras followed obediantly and she mumbled for the men who'd followed her to head off back to the barracks.

"Gentlemen" Integra called after them "Now that my business has been taken care of, we can discuss your fee when you like."

The two soldiers looked at each other "We'll call the guys together and meet you in your office shortly Sir."

Integra nodded and set off to get another cigar.

In the office Seras stood behind her and watched Integra smoke, she tried to puzzle out her Masters cryptic words and casual attitude. Why on

earth was Integra so calm?

Her master turned in the chair and regarded Seras for a moment "It's impolite to stare Seras." she reproofed her servant.

Seras blushed and looked away "Sorry Sir."

Integra waved the apology away "Don't be."

"Yes Sir."

The door opened and Integra's head snapped up. However rather than what she eagerly anticipated then half dozen remnant of the Geese filed

in. Their spokesperson addressed Integra.

"We've made our decision Sir. With your permission we'd like to resign from active service to this household?"

Integra looked puzzled for this was not aimed at her, but at Seras. She turned and remembered that Seras had the Geese's Captain as her

familiar now.

Seras shot an apologetic glance at her master, but Integra made an 'after you' motion with her hand to imply there were no hard feelings on the

matter.

Seras stood tall and proud. "Dismissed Gentlemen. Live well, don't do anything to make me sorry I hired your sorry asses." she said, her eyes

were proud and for a second Integra fancied that she could hear the echo of Pip Bernadotte's voice in Seras' words.

The men's faces broke with emotion.

"Hey! Your employer is right here for god's sake! Some spit and shine gentlemen!" Seras snapped at them.

They saluted her and stood to rigid attention.

Integra smiled briefly and pushed a single cheque forward "It seems inadequate thanks gentlemen." she stated simply "But for what it's worth,

I'm grateful to all of you for your efforts. You deserve more."

One of the soldiers chuckled "You could always give us two pay cheques?"

"Quiet!" Seras barked "Show some respect Higgins, you drunk Irish bastard!" she suddenly blushed fiercely and stammered "Pip! For god's sake!

I'm really sorry sir-!"

Integra threw her head back and laughed at Seras expresison "God Seras! You think I've never met any soldiers in my lifetime? I've recruited

hundreds of them for my service! If the man wants to swear then let him, it's his nature and I don't begrudge a man saying goodbye to his men to  
behave naturally."

Soon the business was concluded, and many thousands of Pound Sterling and yet more thank you's later the Wild Geese departed from the

Hellsing Manor.

Integra lay back in the chair and let out a sigh, "Well, that went well I think." she muttered and lit a fresh cigar.

"Sir! You're going to die young if you don't stop doing that." Seras cautioned her sternly.

Integra smirked "It's my damn house - I'll smoke as much as I please."

A voice cut in "Where have I heard those words before?"

The two ladies heads snapped to the door which had been silently opened, in it stood a boy holding a tray of steaming hot tea. With his dark

tousled hair and piercing blue eyes he was dressed in a smart waistcoat and a white shirt, a black tie, neatly pressed black pants and shoes that

were buffed to near perfection that shone in the moonlight.

"Good evening Sir." Walter Dolneaz smartly bowed with his hand touched to his heart in a sign of homage to the master of the Hellsing Manor.

Behind him Alucard appeared from the shadows.

"As promised Master, I have delivered Walter back to you."

"My god Alucard" Integra breathed as the boy came forward and smartly placed the cup of tea before her "You said only 'a few years' and he's

become a boy again!"

Walter looked embarrased "Sir, if it displeases you..."

"It does." Integra said sharply.

The boy looked down at his feet "Very good Sir." he said humbly and closed his eyes. A second later, with a hiss like water on a red hot surface,

Walter grew and filled out to become a thirty year old. His features were noble and aristocratic, and his eyes seemed sharper than his pointed

nose.

"Is that better Master?" he asked a touch archly.

Integra nodded "Much better." she approved, and raised the cup to sip at the tea "Ah! Now _that_ is a cup of tea!"

The annoyed look disappeared in a flash and the butler flashed a pleased and rather boyish smile that creased slight laughter lines in the corners

of his eyes "I'm so glad you like it Ma'am."

Integra nodded and rose. She walked over to the butler and smiled warmly at him "I'm glad to see you recovered butler."

Her voice sounded strained. She sighed.

"I am for bed. Goodnight Seras. Alucard. Walter." the last recieved a nod and an empty cup before Integra left the room.

So this was Walter at thirty...

The butler smiled at the closed door and returned the cup to the tray.

Seras felt her jaw slackening as she watched him, the man was undoubtedly handsome! She felt herself unashamedly staring at him, his fine

shape and handsome features... the butlers eyebrows raised and he seemed to sense her gaze. His eyes rose to meet hers and he smiled softly

making Seras blush at being caught. After a seconds pause Walter walked around the desk to her and raised her hand lightly to an appropriate

height.

"And good evening to you too, Miss Victoria." he whispered softly. He leaned down and imitated the motion of kissing her hand.

Seras felt the blush grow stronger, felt it creeping higher up her cheeks.

Walter remained bowed but he raised his head fractionally higher so his pale blue eyes glinted mischeviously in the moonlight. Seras suddenly felt

someone else looking at her, and as she to see where her Master was the butterflies in her stomach died and she felt the muscles tighten as her

eyes fell upon the older vampire who stood in the corner of the room.

Alucard was glowering at her, he didn't look very pleased at the attention Walter was showing her.

Walter turned and smiled at Alucard "Now, now." he said "There's no call for jealousy."

Alucard sneered at the comment and tilted his head fractionally so the glasses fell down the bridge of his nose.

"Really Walter? You think I'm jealous?" he teased.

Walter arched an eyebrow "It would appear so."

Alucard shrugged "Watch out for this one Seras. He's charming but he's every bit a monster as I am."

Seras protested hotly "M-Master Alucard!"

The Nosfitatu chuckled "Alright. Believe what you want."

Walter picked up the tray and chuckled "Really Miss, he's terribly possessive. He thinks that because I'm a little more youthful-"

Alucard cut in "Actually Walter I'm thinking along the lines of "If you're dead then it can't be-"

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT LAST WORD!" the butler snapped angrily, colour rising in his cheeks.

Walter snarled at Alucard, spun on his heel and exited quickly.

Watching it all Seras wondered at what past arguement between the two men that outburst was hiding?

She resolved to find out as soon as possible.

**And what does it mean? Please R+R.**


	8. Desire

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.  
This chapter is dedicated to 0-Girlycard-0 in thanks. I pinged on about the 'thirty' thing being in reference to Walter not Seras only once I'd started writing. Sorry about that. Night shift's make me a bit slow sometimes! Anyway, next chapter. I hope you all like it.**

* * *

"Master...?" Seras piped up once the butler had left and his angry footsteps had faded.

Alucard chuckled and watched the door, his third eye glowed and his face was alight with unashamed pleasure at the butlers reaction.

"Master? What did that mean?" Seras tried again.

Alucard looked at her and shrugged "Go ask him sometime Police girl. I'm not going to tell you."

As he got up Seras clutched at his sleeve "Did you two fall out sometime in the past?"

"You are very nosy today Seras." he commented dryly "I told you, ask him."

"But he's not likely to tell me!" she protested

"And on that presumtion you're going to pester me?"

Seras smiled sweetly "Yes. But if you don't tell me then I'm going to flirt some more with Walter."

Alucard's eyes glowed and he growled "Just remember what I said Police girl; he's every bit a moster as I am. He's done things that you'd be

shocked to hear. Don't come crying to me if you aren't happy when you learn that because you've been warned. Don't get too close to Walter

Dolneaz - that 'Angel' isn't always charming and proper."

* * *

Walter was downstairs, he smarted angrily and washed the dishes harder. Damn Alucard for mentioning the past! Why the hell could he not leave  
well alone?

He was interrupted by soft footsteps behind him, he turned and saw Seras hanging about in the doorway.

For a second his gaze wandered over her and he took in her strong legs, her large firm breasts, those big innocent eyes...

He smiled pleasantly at her "Good evening, Miss Victoria. Is there something you need?"

Seras shuffled in the doorway and came into the kitchen. The kitchen was a large place, with lots of room to work and plently of surfaces to

prepare food and drink. She came over to the side next to Walter and hopped up onto it, crossing her legs and getting comfortable.

"I was wondering what that was about, back in there with Alucard?"

Walter smiled but his gaze returned to the dishes "Oh nothing, just a bit history between us."

Seras looked carefully at Walters face "But you really lost it with him back there Walter! That's not just history is it?"

Walters face twisted with distaste. "Please Miss, I'd rather not revisit the past tonight. I shall tell you another time, I promise."

Seras smiled at the butler "Alright then, fair enough."

she hopped off the side and walked over to the door.

Walter could hardly take his eyes off the view...

He shook his head, for crying out loud Walter what are you thinking? He was old enough to be her grandfather for God's sake!

Seras tried to hide her dissapointment at Walter's muteness on the subject. But still, he had promised to tell her sometime, and that was good

enough for now. She opened the kitchen door, but as she stepped through it she heard Walter's voice call her back.

"Miss Victoria?"

She popped her head back in "Yes Walter?"

The butler was finishing his dishes and rinsed out the last of the plates that the Geese had used before they left. "Do you fancy a drink? I mean,

since I'm nearly done here with these?"

Seras almost immediately agreed simply on the grounds that Walter was a good looking guy. But she pushed down that pirimative part of herself

and tried to at least not look easy... "Okay. Sure." she said nonchalantly and walked back in.

Walter dried his hands. Seras shook her head and a smile crept onto her face.  
_  
Walter even makes doing the housework seem appealing and sexy..._

She snapped herself out of the reveire as Walter popped the cloth on the side to dry and went to a small fridge.

He pulled out two small bags of blood.

Seras groaned inwardly. She kind of hoped that a drink meant something more medicinal... Wait. Hold on, scratch that last comment.

Walter poured the two bags into an empty wine bottle.

"It's for Alucard Miss."

She felt foolish, of course! Her master always took his supper in a wine bottle.

"Now then, I think that this will do nicely?" Walter commented as he drew out a sealed up white wine.

She mumbled "Walter, it'll make me sick."

Walter laughed "No it won't."

She looked puzzled and Walter elaborated quickly.

"As you're a full blood now, you can drink a little wine and not be ill. Beforehand all your body craved was blood to nourish it. Now that it's had its

fill of that you can enjoy a small amount of normal drink, the body will cope."

Seras looked hopeful "Food?"

Walter smiled sadly "Unfortunately Alucard said solid food will never be an option for any true vampire. But he once told me story of how he

shared a fine champagne with a lady he was romantically involved with once. He said it was a wonderful sensation."

Seras felt her flesh twitch in between her legs and her mouth went dry.

"Shall we?" the butler offered with a charming smile.

* * *

Alucard sat in the sub level. He glowered at the ceiling but did nothing. His mind ran back to the past, to another room in the Hellsing Manor. He

shuddered in disgust. He shook his head, poor Seras. She had no idea what she was getting in to.

He shrugged, she was a true vampire. He didn't need to babysit her. Let her learn, and meanwhile why not let Walter have his fun? If would be

good for the young Walter to be back to his old self before Alucard faced him off about he past.

An old Walter was fine. He had no issues with the old Walter, who'd been quite charming and tolerant. He'd been a good friend and much needed

company through the long, boring evenings.

But the young one? Ah, with the younger Walter who hadn't had the sensibilities of old age... now there he had a few things to settle before they

would work together again.

But they would be settled. Oh yes.

* * *

In the guest room Seras laughed at one of Walters funnier stories.

"You really did that?"

Walter chuckled and lounged back in an arm chair "I did, yes. Hand on my heart Seras, thats a true story."

His use of her name made her blush. Walter noticed it and grinned before he took another sip of wine.

"So, my dear. You like the younger me, eh?" he inquired with a naughty smile over his glass.

Seras laughed nervously and looked into her wine glass, which was still half full "Well..."

"My age isn't off putting? Tell me please, I'd love to hear your opinion."

Seras blushed at being put on the spot but she put the thoughts into a sensible order before she answered.

"You... look good for your age. And you're quite charming Walter."

The man grinned "Why thank you, Miss."

"Stop it!" she giggled "You make me sound like some old schoolteacher."

"Alright then. I shall call you Seras then."

She laughed again, God but the wine must be bloody strong, she felt a bit under influence...

Walter leaned forward in his chair and propped his arms on his knees. "Go on. You talk for a bit. I'm getting bored of this conversation being all

about my life story." he poured more wine into his glass and offered it to her.

Seras looked a little flushed.

"Ah" he commented with a humoured smile "I think you'd better stop for a bit..."

Seras frowned and took the bottle from him. She smiled confidently "I've been drinking for a few years, you know Walter? I'm over twenty."

Walter smiled "Barely my dear. I saw the file when you joined us. But alright, one last glass. Then no more for a bit, okay?"

She smiled fondly at him "Deal."

Walter raised his eyebrows and poured more into her glass.

Seras sipped at the wine, admiring the way the light sparkled on the top of the pale amber liquid.

A rather cheeky idea popped into her head.

"So Walter, this age thing? It's not an issue with you" She asked him innocently.

He looked confused and tilted his head. "I don't follow." he asked her.

She grinned and let her saucier side come a bit more to the surface "I mean, with me being much younger than you?"

He laughed "God, you're terrible!" he stated "I'm old enough to be your grandfather!"

She smiled sweetly at him "No. Perhaps my father... if you'd had me obsenely young at the age of ten or twelve."

Walter's eyes went sharp and mischevious. "Ah." he breathed "You mean, just to look at, yes?"

"Mm hm." she said and raised her eyebrows suggestively.

Walter licked his lips and looked sheepishly at her "You know, Sir Integra said she doesn't like me being too young..."

Seras corrected him "No Walter, she said she didn't like you being a boy. Be older than sixteen... be... I don't know. Be twenty or twenty five or

something like that."

Walter chuckled "Why do I get the impression this is going somewhere quite innapropriate?"

She giggled "If you play your cards right Walter."

The man hesistated and seemed to be fighting between desire and duty.

Seras smiled sweetly "Go on Walter. Do it for me." she urged "I'd really like to see what you look like at that age."

* * *

Alucard rolled his eyes below them. God Walter, you had no compunctions like that in the past! Certainly not with me anyway.

The Nosfiratu took his glasses off his face and set them down.

He picked up his wine glass.

"Your move little Angel."

He raised a toast to the couple above him. He thought for a moment that he should feel somehow perverse or at least a little guilty for watching,

but then he realsied he didn't care either way.

If they made a lot of noise then it was hardly his fault that he could hear them after all.

* * *

Walter rose off the chair and mumbled "You know this is s bad idea, right?"

Seras smirked and asked him "And why is that Walter?"

"We're both very drunk, and you're attracted to me."

She shrugged "Oh well, life's fun like that. Now show me."

He grinned "All right then. I did my best."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. That strange low hiss came from his body, and it steamed slightly. His height shrank slightly and his

hair went more tousled. He staggered and collapsed back into the chair. His face was more boyish and his lips were slightly more full, the skin was

a little more coloured than the paleness of his older selves. His clothes were still the same but the buttons on his waistcoat were undone as well

as the top buttons on his shirt, which exposed a graceful neck above a tie held in a loose knot.

He opened his eyes, which were large and attractive. The blue orbs beneath the dark eyebrows sparkled with mischief and pleasure.

"That was fun!" he whispered breathlessly in a rich purr "God, Seras, I think I need a drink."

Seras jaw went slack as she looked at the young Walter Dolneaz. The man was gulping down the wine as quickly as manners allowed without

looking boorish.

He put the glass down and wiped his lips "Ah!" he sighed "That was good!"

Seras was amazed "W- Walter?" she had to ask, she pinched herself slightly unsure if she might have nodded off with the wine in her system.

She hadn't.

The young butler looked at her and raised a coy eyebrow, he purred "You approve, my lovely Seras?"

She stammered "Oh yes, very much!"

Walter smirked "Oh good."

Seras felt dazed, God that voice was sensual!

He stood and gave her a twirl, then he paused and struck a pose for her with his hands behind his head and his hip arched out.

That was a _very_ nice body, she thought.

Walter grinned and leaned down so his face was mere inches away "Why, whatever's the matter Seras? Cat got your tongue?"

Seras blushed and let out a weak laugh.

"Never mind." Walter said then leaned forward, catching her in a kiss that left her stunned.

Wow. Seriously Wow!

Walter grinned, he hadn't felt this chipper in ages! And Seras looked very good... well that was a slight understatement on his behalf. She looked

bloody amazing right now! He laughed at her expression.

"Come on" he teased and stroked a finger down her face "You're not that shocked surely?"

Seras looked up with those large attractive blue eyes and a naughty smile crept onto her face. She leapt up onto her feet, then grabbed Walter

pulling him into another kiss and pushed him back into the chair behind him. Her lips were locked on his and she grunted and pressed harder, her

tongue exploring his mouth as she hands crawled up his body.

Walter let out a muffled laugh and squirmed delightfully underneath her.

Suddenly his hands shot out and cupped her buttocks and with a grunt he lifted her up and turned around. He then fell backwards, making Seras

shriek and wince as Walter hit the floor. She was however once again pulled back into Walter and the young man kissed her passionately and

fiercely. His mouth on her lips and her neck as his hand snaked its way into her hair and scratched at the back of her scalp.

She moaned into his mouth to try and relieve the pressure within her.

It didn't help relieve the pressure, in fact it was a bit counter productive as it only encouraged Walter's attention.

Walter kissed Seras more fiercely, the Police girl was getting seriously flushed. In fact, she was actually trembling with desire.

How delightfully appealing, he though with a saucy grin.

He looked at her, straddled over him as she was and his gaze fell on her body.

With a smirk, he snaked his hand to her mouth and gingerly slid a digit into her mouth, slowly pushing it in. Seras moaned and sucked on it, her

eyes were distant and pleasured.

With the other Walter began to undo her top.

Her breasts fully exposed, Walter leaned up and licked between them with a moan of pleasure.

Seras snapped out of it and pulled away from the finger. "Oh no! No, no!" she shrieked with a laugh and slapped his hand away from her

mouth "No one said anything about sex or undressing!"

This made Walter moue.

His pouting puppy dog expression made her laugh harder.

"Well, if you say no, then fair enough." the butler allowed "then perhaps me?"

She swallowed hard "What do you mean?" she asked breathlessly.

He smirked and undid his tie, throwing it over his shoulder. He then began to undo the buttons on his shirt, exposing a gymnasts physique and a

dancer grace as he snaked his way out of it on the floor.

Seras looked on, practically drooling over the sight of the man underneath her.

She leaned over and kissed his chest, her tongue snaked its way out and licked at the nipples making Walter whimper.

She felt something hard between her legs. Walter had somehow managed to undo his flies and get himself out.

"I'm supple." he explained with a cheeky wink.

Seras grinned and ran a finger down the length of the digit "And what do you expect me to do with this?" she enquired innocently, batting her

eyelashes at him.

Walter chuckled "Oh I don't know, any thoughts on the matter?" he asked her.

She grinned and looked down "Well..." she took a hold of it and worked her hand up and down the length.

Walter leaned his head back and moaned in pleasure.

She went at it harder and faster.

Walter gasped "Oh jesus!" his eyes went wide.

Seras giggled "Good is it?" she flirted.

Walter pushed her back off him and bolted straight up, trying to block the view from Sir Integra who was stood in the doorway looking anything

but impressed with the scene in front of her.

Seras went scarlet, let out a squeak of embarrasment and quickly covered herself up.

Walter gulped hard.

Integra raised an eyebrow and asked in a clipped voice "Alright, who's first to tell me an excuse?"

**lol, I was rather amused at that.  
R+R please.**


	9. Monsterous actions

I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.

* * *

Seras could not have been more embarrased than she felt now.

Sir Integra, looking royally pissed off, kept her cold gaze firmly on Walter, though Seras suspected she'd get her earful soon.

Seras quickly turned her head to look at Walter and was shocked; the normally calm and collected butler trembed before his master like terrified dog.

"Well? I'm waiting butler." Integra growled.

"I... I" the butler trembled harder "I seduced Seras." he whispered "And I was taking advantage of her."

Seras looked aghast, he was lying! Walter never lied! And to Sir Integra as well no less!

"Walter...!" she tried, but the butler turned sorrow filled eyes on her.

"I'm truly sorry Seras for what I did. Please, please my dear, just go..."

Seras tried once more to protest but Integra shot her a look "Get out Seras." her master warned her.

Seras, head bowed and stomach churning, left the room.

Outside Alucard waited for her with an amused grin and he shut the door.

"Good evening Police girl." he said pleasantly.

She was angry enough for a moment to kill Alucard, and though she knew better she still slapped at his face.

Alucard caught the arm and chuckled.

"Now now. None of that. You may not believe me but Integra wasn't warned about you two. I could hear that thump when Walter dropped to the

floor from my cell. You didn't think that my master would investigate a loud noise in her house, what with recent events?"

Seras glared at him.

She looked back at the closed door "What's going on in there?"

Behind the door came the sound of Integra's angry voice.

"Walter is getting told off. Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Seras looked doubtful at that judging of how scared he'd looked...

She knew she shouldn't but she looked in with her third eye, just as she knew her master Alucard was doing...

* * *

"Well Walter, now that you've been noble and defended her honour, you can now tell me the truth." Integra informed him.

The butler looked at her whispered "Yes Sir, but please promise you won't punish her for her part."

Integra looked further unimpressed "You don't dictate to me Walter. I tell you what to do."

He bowed "Yes Sir."

"I know you aren't the type to seduce. You lied about that. I don't like that Walter, never lie to me again." Integra warned him with a look "But the  
taking advantage part I believe only because Seras is young and naive, and charismatic men are scarce in her line of work. One's that aren't her

Master anyway." she ammended herself, "Now you tell me exactly what happened."

Walter looked pained and raised his arms in a pleading shrug.

"I don't know what to say?"

Integra grit her teeth and pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"You'll bloody tell me Walter!" she barked.

The butler blanched and nodded miserably "Yes Sir."

He explained it all to her in detail, the wine, the mood, what he had been asked to do and where it had led.

"And you never thought to say 'no' to her?" Integra scoffed "For god's sake Walter - at your age you should know better! She's young enough to

be your grandchild! If you were alive you'd be branded a peadophile or a pervert for that kind of conduct!"

Walter winced at that, though he knew it was the truth.

"And anyway what are you trying to prove? What on earth was going through your mind that you thought at seventy years of age that it was

clever to fuck a young girl?"

Walter blushed at the swearing and he replied honestly "Sir, I haven't had sex in over many years. I lost control of myself with the mood. It just

happened... It felt good at the time and I didn't want it to stop. I mean, she's very attractive and she..."

Walter trailed off awkwardly as Sir Integra looked sickened

"Turn back to your true age." she commanded.

Walter begged her "Please Sir..."

"Do it." she growled.

Walter sighed and reverted back to his aged form. Integra pointed at him. "That is you Walter. You can't look in a mirror so let me inform you;

you're an old man! Whilst you're in my service you will act your age and there will be no more messing about with Seras."

Walter looked pitiable. Integra felt bad for being so hard on him, she sighed and lit a cigar "What am I going to do with you Walter?" she finally

asked him.

He sighed and shook his head "I don't know Sir. But you know best."

Integra now looked pained at his bland, emotionless tone. On a child it would have been sulky or huffy, but with Walter it was a sign of deep hurt.

"... Some wine was consumed, I believe you said?" Integra asked him.

"Correct Sir. A full bottle of vintage white. It's very potent."

Integra sighed "Just once Walter, just this one time because of your past service, I will blame the wine for your behavior. There will be no more

exceptions, you understand? Now You will not drink that wine anymore and neither will Seras. You will both forget this night happened. You will be  
friends and collegues but no more. Am I clear?"

Walter looked at his aged hands, his face miserable and resigned.

"Is that clear?" she asked in a more firm tone of voice.

Walter nodded and looked her in the eyes "Yes Master." he said eventually.

There was something in his eyes, a haunted look that actually chilled her. For a second Walter seemed as though he would cry...

Integra swallowed and indicated to the door.

"If you must occupy a youthful body Walter, the whole house needs attending to."

Walter went stiff and bowed formally "Very good Sir."

He left the room and Integra sighed behind him.

* * *

Seras was restless.

She felt bad that she had gotten the old butler into trouble with Sir Integra. She hadn't meant to and her guilt kept her from sleep.

She came across Walter by accident, he was still in the form of an old man. He was dilligently working through the halls, scrubbing off the graffiti

that the Nazi soldiers had emblazoned on the walls, picking bullets out of the plaster, mopping up the blood where he could and using older

methods to remove it where a sponge and cloth didn't work.

The smell of wine was exceptionally strong down here...  
_  
He couldn't have disobeyed twice..._ Seras though incredulously.

Thankfully she was proven correct, for the old butler was pouring the vintage white on the red stains.

He turned and bowed "Good evening Miss."

She smiled awkwardly "Evening Walter."

He smiled back and turned to his work again.

Seras looked over his shoulder and asked him "White wine?"

He let out a weak laugh, "It's an old rememdy for removing red wine from a carpet, but blood is the same. It dilutes the colour then one adds a lot  
of salt. A few minutes later you scrub hard and hopefuly it comes out."

Seras was puzzled, she'd never heard of that one...

"And is it?" she asked, endeavouring to be friendly with Walter.

"No." the butler sighed "It's well and truly stained. I might have to order a redecorator after this. Perhaps in the morning before I go to bed."

Seras burst out "Walter, I'm really sorry!"

Walter smiled fondly at her "Forget about it Miss." he advised softly "I've been ordered to."

She looked pained and tried again "But, you didn't do anything! It was all me!"

She was nearly in tears, Walter stood and put his arms around her.

"Shush, now. There, there." he soothed as he patted her back. He had strong arms and Seras cried into his chest.

"I really didn't mean to..."

"It's was a natural thing, you're a young girl and you're at that age. It's not wrong that you were curious and it's not wrong that you were so

forward with me, after all, I was a rather exceptional young man." he allowed himself with a blush for his lack of modesty.

Seras looked up at him and gve him a watery smile "You still are Walter."

The old man smiled softly and looked down "Yes. When you say that, I do feel better about my age."

"That's very sweet." a rich voice purred behind them.

Alucard stood and grinned at them.

Walter stiffened and glared at him "How dare you." he whispered softly.

Alucard cocked his head "Police girl, would you leave me and Walter?"

Seras stood her ground "If this is about earlier then no."

Alucard shrugged "If you both want to screw then by all means..."

Seras blushed and snapped "You bloody know what I was talking about! I meant before, when you two were shouting!"

Alucard chuckled "None the less, you may wish to do the screwing first before you change your mind?"

Walters face went gray.

"Alucard..." he started.

"Be silent Walter!" the vampire snapped. "You want to know what that was about Police girl?" he asked seductively.

Seras looked uncertainly at him, her master was clearly doing this for Walters discomfort.

"No?" Alucard pressed.

She nodded once, slightly.

Alucard grinned "Tell her Walter."

Walter glared daggers at him "It's in the past _'Aludette'_." he hissed.

Seras was puzzled "Aludette?" she echoed, asking for an explanation.

Alucard willingly provided it. "Years ago when Walter was a young boy, I occasionally took on the form of an innocent pure child. A mocking irony

for the world, and a small amusement for me. Walter was very attracted to that form, weren't you Walter?"

The butlers expression betrayed nothing, but he shook with anger.

Alucard grinned "Tease." he mocked, he turned back to Seras "Anyway Police girl, Walter one day went a bit too far, we had an arguement. He left  
the room and when he came back..."

Seras couldn't hide her anticipation "What, Master?"

"Walter raped, defiled and disgraced that form. In front of Master."

Walters head lowered in shame and a tear trickled down from the eye without the monocle.

Seras was stunned. "You- You're lying!" she stammered "Walter wouldn't..!"

The butler let out a hoarse sob.

The vampire looked coldly at him "Too late for regrets Angel of Death. You were never any good at saying no were you?"

The butler's head snapped up "I - I told you fifty years ago! Arthur had nothing to do with that!"

Seras was well and truly confused "Who's Arthur?"

Alucard looked at Seras "My old Master, Integra's father."

Seras gasped at that, it didn't seem right that Integra's flesh and blood could be so heartless, but on the other hand, Walter was no rapist!

Alucard heard the thoughts. "So you doubt my word?"

Seras stammered "I don't know what to think..."

Alucard smirked. "Then I'll show you."

His eyes glowed red and everything went black for Seras.

* * *

_She stood in a room, a large room that looked a lot like a library or elaborate study, at a desk a man sat with a cigar and a glass of whisky. He _

_tapped the cigar and sipped at the whisky. She couldn't tell but he seemed drunk or high from the expression on his face._

_The boy Walter opened the door and came through. As he shut it a young girl dressed all in furry white with raven hair and glowing red eyes came _  
_through it._

_Seras gasped - Alucard had been telling the truth!_

_Arthur Helling, for from the gaze he had and set of his jaw it could be no one else but Integra's father, beckoned them forward._

_"You abandoned Walter in Warsaw." he accused._

_'Aludette' as Walter had called her, shot the butler an angry look. "You said you would never tell!" she hissed._

_"Things change." the butler replied smoothly in a neutral tone._

_"And I'm told other things Alucard. You torment and teased this boy afterwards."_

_The term 'boy' seemed hardly appropriate for Walter in Seras mind, for she had never seen a boy with such a cold, merciless demeanour._

_Walter shot Alucard a wolfish smile._

_Arthur grinned and looked at the 'girl' "Well Alucard?"_

_Alucard looked unfazed at the two men's manner and she shrugged "My reasons are my own." she replied tartly._

_Arthur glared at her for a moment and shrugged. "So you confirm it then?"_

_Alucard smirked with amusement "Yes. Happily my Master. It's fun."_

_The Hellsing leader looked annoyed "Well it shall stop. You're going to be punished."_

_Walter stiffened and gasped._

_Arthur looked at the butler "Do it Walter."_

_The butler bowed "Yes my Master." he said with a nasty smile._

_He whipped out his hands and caught Alucard in a tight bind._

_The vampire chuckled "Well this is different." she commented idly._

_Arthur nodded once at Walter, the butler inclined his head and tugged sharply on the wires. The furry clothes were shredded and Alucard let out a _  
_angry growl._

_"These were good clothes!"_

_Walter heaved again, but differently this time. Alucard was flung to the floor with a snarl._

_From her expression she was starting to get quite angry._

_"What the hell is this?" she demanded._

_Walter smirked and his foot lashed out to catch Alucard's stomach "It's your punishment my little countess, can't you tell?" he mocked as Alucard _

_gasped on the floor._

_Arthur calmly smoked the cigar and said nothing. In fact, the Hellsing leader had gotten out a book and was browsing the pages as he sipped _

_whisky._

_Seras was horrified._

_"No more!" She begged Alucard "Please no more Master! I believe you!"_

_Alucard screamed on the floor, for Walter was now systematically whispping and tearing at her flesh._

_Seras could not help but pity the screaming girl on the floor. She tried to grab Walter but went through the memory like air. She could do nothing, _

_and it seemed she would have to watch._

_She couldn't bear to, she turned away and shut her eyes, but nothing could block the sounds of the whipping and screams._

_"No!"_

_"Oh yes, my dear!" Walter crowed gleefully "You've been deserving this for a long time!"_

_There was the sound of someone being dragged against their will._

_"Walter please, stop it!" Seras begged the butler._

_"Walter no!" Alucard begged from the floor._

_Seras suddenly could see it, she tried to close her eyes but realised they already were. She gasped, for Alucard wished for her to see every gory _

_detail._

_"Master no!" Seras begged him "Please no!"_

_On the floor Walter grabbed a handful of Alucards long raven hair and heaved her up, the girl whimpered in pain. Seras wondered why she did not _  
_  
fight, for she was more than capable... but no. On her hands were the glowing symbols of restraint, which must have been activated so that she _

_couldn't do anything to stop it._

_She whimpered and coughed blood "Walter...?" she croaked._

_The butler looked coldly at her "What?" he snapped._

_"Please... stop it...!" the girl begged him._

_Walter's eyes went soft for a moment and he leaned down and whispered "I have been ordered to punish you. Accept it like a man."_

_Seras gasped in horror._

_Walter undid his flies and got himself out._

_Seras felt tears running down her face._

_Alucard moaned, but it was muffled. Her mouth was full and she let out choked grunts as Walter uncaringly trust harder into her mouth._

_Finally as he pulled out she gagged and coughed._

_Walter looked down and sneered, with his knee he lashed out, knocking the girl senseless the the floor._

_He opened her legs and lowered himself over the stunned vampire who whimpered in pain..._

* * *

"You have seen enough." Alucard told her as she snapped out of the memory.

Seras spun and screamed at the butler "You bastard!"

Walters kindly old face was wet with tears but Seras only saw the mocking boy right now.

Her hand collided hard with his cheek, the smack echoed and Walter grunted in pain.

"I should have killed you before we brought you back!" Seras hissed angrily, and she stormed away.

Alucard grinned at her retreating back.

"Such a lovely creature, right Walter?" he asked.

The butler lowered his head and whispered "Do what you must."

"Oh I intend to Walter. I intend to" the vampire purred with a glint in his eye

"Go back to your boy form."

Walter's head snapped up and fear filled his eyes...

* * *

**And another chapter goes up!  
I know it's darer than the previous chapters, but none the less, R+R and temm me what you think.**


	10. Soothing the pain

I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.

* * *

"No..." Walter breathed "No I wont!"

Alucards mouth quirked into an amused smile "Oh?"

Walter coloured and retreated "You won't do that to me!"

Alucard advanced slowly "And what happened to 'do as you must?' Walter?"

The old man glared at Alucard "I will not let you defile me."

Alucards eyes flashed red and he whispered "If you're dead then it can't be rape Walter, I believe that was the justification for you last time, and

as we are now both undead freaks..."

Walter's eye went red with tears again and he croaked out "I... I'm sorry for what I did..."

Alucard threw his head back and laughed "I'm not little Angel! Not at all! Indeed your actions have given me something to look forward to all these  
years!"

Alucard traced a finger down one of the aged butlers cheeks and he leaned forwards and growled.

"Beautiful Walter. Exquisite. Your aged form is a lovely sight to me, however it is not young enough. I want some of that childish fear in your eyes.

I want to hear you beg."

Walter trembled and closed his eyes at the touch.

Alucard leaned in to the butlers ear "You've proven to three masters how good you are at following orders. Follow mine now. Transform."

Walters lips were trembling and he whispered "You will hurt me."

"All things feel pain Walter. Even me for what you did."

The butlers eyes opened and gazed into the glowing eyes of the vampire. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off them...

"You want to make up for your actions don't you?" the vampire purred.

Though it did seem odd to him that it had come from nowhere Walter suddenly realised he wanted that very much...

* * *

Seras walked away from the pair, down the many corridors until she found herself in the audience lobby. She decended the grand red carpeted

staircase with the intention of following one the passages down to the lower levels. As she reached the foot of the stairs however, she could bear

it no more, she sat down, buried her face into her hands and sobbed till it hurt. It still did not seem enough to convey the pain and raw anger she

felt towards Walter at this moment...

... How could anyone be so monstrous and still live with himself?

"Seras?" a surprised voice came from above her.

The draculina gasped and looked up. Standing in the doorway to the household, dressed in her usual green business suit was Sir Integra. The

young woman looked shocked, and a little concerned at seeing the girl in such distress.

The leader came and sat with the servant, though she was unused to being maternal in any way she could hardly walk away from her subject in

such a state.

There was an awkward silence as Seras cuffed the tears from her eyes with the backs of her gloves and Integra lit a cigar.

After the first few puffs Integra broke the silence "Was it something I said earlier? About your relationship with Walter?"

Seras felt the tears threaten again, but mastered herself this time.

"No Sir." she said thickly "It's Master Alucard."

Integra looked sharply at her "What about him?"

Seras shook her head and mutely tried to express she couldn't even begin to start putting it into words. Seras balled her hands into fists and tried

once more to stop the emotion within herself.

Integra placed a hand on the girls shoulder "Better out than in Seras." she advised.

The girl abandoned caution and without ceremony she curled over into her employers lap and wept.

Integra's eyes widened and for a second she had to restrain herself from backing away from her subject - she had meant to imply something like

'Talk to me Seras' or 'Whatever's bothering you so much girl, it can't be that bad surely?', but here they were now...

and right now Integra felt _extremely_ uncomfortable for being in this situation.

This sort of physical and emotional breakdown was something she hadn't much personal experience in. In fact, not since her father's death could

she personally remember being so distraught about a single event, and with the events that had followed it she'd been more concerned about

her own survival...

In fact, now she thought about it, all the distressing events in her life seemed to follow that pattern.

Integra stroked the girls hair and shushed her softly, as she'd seen many parents do in this situation. It seemed to help for children so why not...

Ah, there we go, she though as Seras breathed more easily at the rythm.

Seras finally took a deep shuddery breath and and softly said "Thank you Sir."

"Now then, what's the problem?"

The girl stiffened on her and let out a nervous hesitant noise. Somewhere above them there was the sound of something thumping on the floor.

"I can't tell you Sir."

The Hellsing leader sighed, if it wasn't one person not telling her something it was another... "Can't or won't tell me Seras."

The girl replied "It's a personal matter. I think you'd do better asking Ma- actually I think you'd better ask Walter."

Seras would have hated for Sir Integra to be put through that memory herself.

Integra shrugged and moved the cigar away so the ash fell on the floor rather than the two of them. Walter would have to clean it up later.

She suddenly noted the absence of the butler, as well as muffled voices somewhere above them.

"Seras, where's Walter now you mention it?"

The girl gasped and her fingers curled till they went white with the pressure she was exerting on them, however Seras seemed to have fogotten

whom currently she lay on. Integra winced as the girls vice like digits painfully dug into her leg and she let out a grunt from between knitted teeth.

The draculina was off her like a shot, her face beet red.

"Oh god! Sir I'm really..."

Integra rubbed the leg and glared at Seras as something else thumped on the floor above them... what the hell were they doing up there?

"Yes yes, 'you're most terribly sorry'. Stop apologising girl, you're like a stuck record."

Seras bowed "Yes Sir."

"Now where's Walter?"

There was the sound of shattering glass from above and the two woman bolted outside to see what had caused it.

* * *

Walter couldn't recall being taken to the room, in fact it all seemed to be a bit of a blur.

He couldn't recall when his torso had been stripped of clothes and he certainly wasn't sure of exactly why he had done as he'd been told and kept  
quiet.

All he knew right now was that Alucard had given him orders, and it had all seemed to be a good idea at the time.

Suddenly everything had gone back into crystal clear focus again... and Walter had though that was odd because normally his eyesight was a little

strained in his left eye, hence why he wore a monocle...

At that point Walter had noted that his monocle was missing and his feet weren't touching the floor.

So here and now Walter surveyed the situation.

He was once more a young man, he was alone in a dark room that had been shut up for some years now judging from the dust on the desk

before him. Judging from the size and the furniture Walter could guess which room he'd been taken to. Alucard had placed his gloves back on his

hands and, using Walters own wires no less, had bound the boy so tightly in the large doorway between the study and the adjoining room that

he couldn't move his wrists.  
_  
I probably ordered the workers to take these doors off this frame years ago when we closed off some of the house... _Walter thought bitterly._  
_  
Walters torso was naked, and he was cold. He was also starting to feel a little frightened, though he knew it was more his mature mind that

created the fear rather than the child's mind which told him that he would be fine...

"Yes, you knew very little about fear when you were young, eh Walter?" Excellent as instilling it in others though. You'd laugh as you leapt out of

aeroplanes without a parachute, you'd find sadistic pleasure in carving up Nazi's and monsters. You found amusement in my suffering on that

rather eventful night in this room all those years ago."

Walter trembled and the vmapire came from behind him to look at him squarely in the eyes.

"Hi there, Angel of Death." he purred.

Walter licked his lips and glared at the nosfiratu "You know, if Sir Integra discovers you doing this..."

Alucard grinned, in the moonlight his teeth were pearly "Don't be dumb Walter. This won't take that long. Besides we both know she'd hate to

hear the truth behind this little incident."

Walter stiffened and his eyes went wide with realisation, Alucard _knew_!

"No, I _suspected_, but you've just confirmed those suspicions for me Walter, thank you! Truly you have made my night! So Arthur Hellsing did have

something to do with it! I wonder how much...?"

The vampire licked his lips and his fingers gracefully skimmed down Walters chest pausing over the boys tight abs.

"Very nice." The vampire complimented.

Walter squirmed and kicked, Alucard slapped his ass and made Walter squeal with pain.

"No kicking. No screaming. Now then Walter, let's hear the truth nice and clear, did Arthur order you to rape me as punishment or not?"

"It was my own devising!"

Alucard snarled and leaned forward "Stop lying."

"I'm not!" the boy cried out desperately.

Alucard grinned and looked at the gloves which loosened more wire allowing Walter to fall with a thump to the floor. His wrists burned from

prolonged tension and he groaned as relief flooded into the tight muscles.

Walter had no time to enjoy the relief as Alucard swirled with darkness for a moment and reappeared naked.

Walter took one fearful look at the digit before his eyes. Suddenly a force pushed his head towards it, the boy screamed and fought it, but he was

pushed closer till it hovered inches away. Walter's arms were pulled back behind his back from the wires adn his arms were burning again.

"Last chance before I take my pleasure boy. You won't be able to fight it, I won't let you. You'll hate yourself for enjoying it, but you will because

you were a horny little fucker back then. You'll try to scream and cry but you'll find no one will come. Now did he order it, yes or no?"

Walter trembled but his face was resolute.

Alucard rolled his eyes "I don't know whether to thank you or call you a bloody fool. Whatever the reason you're not talking to me, I'll find it"

his smile was confident and cunning and the boy shut his eyes and willed himself not to prove the vampire right.

"I'm very persuasive Walter. You'll talk."

The boy moaned with fright as the digit was forced into his mouth and his head was pushed hard into it until he gagged. His eyes widened with

pain as his lips hurt, his small mouth was barely big enough to contain Alucards large erection and his were lips burning from the friction of the

thrust.

Walters eyes watered and he willed himself to grow older, anything to stop that gagging and burning sensation in his mouth. However he couldn't

seem to focus, Alucard was blocking his ability to transform... probably some lingering effect of the hypnosis...

Alucard was wasting no time, and his thrusts were becoming more fierce and rougher, Walter moaned in pain.

"Don't worry Walter, any damage will heal." he was consoled by the vampire which was followed snicker "You know, perhaps you did have

something to do with this; the look on your face is quite delightful. I can see why you'd enjoy this."

Suddenly to his horror Walter felt the tension building in Alucard's penis, desperate not be defiled he tried to bite down... but true to his claim,

that strange force seemed to be keeping his mouth docile.

"Mphh!" He tried to beg him to stop but couldn't.

"Aw... sweet. Enjoy your punishment little Angel, take it like a man." Alucard mocked him.

The nosfiratu closed his eyes and let the pressure release.

Walter gagged and tears ran down his face, finally Alucard smirked "And now you understand first hand what you really did to me." he said "Be a

good boy and swallow your medicine."

Walter was crying uncontrollably now, he hated everything that had put him here into this position... he bitterly willed his mouth to work

and swallowed. The salty thick substance in his mouth and throat went reluctantly down. The urge to retch was near uncontrollable. Had he

required breath so badly as when he were alive he might have choked.

"Clean me up too." Alucard instructed.

Walter looked up with pleading eyes but the vampire stared back with an annoyed hiss.

The boy sucked softly and worked his lips up and down the long shaft, and Alucard let out a shaky sigh of pleasure. "It's been too long..." he

whispered thickly.

Walter was furious and humiliated, he thought _Why not just have my ass and be done with it you bastard!_

Alucard chuckled "All in good time. You took your time with me after all."

Walter's anger built and with a snarl he jerked his head away and retched out the cum.

Alucard's eyes widened with delight at that "What fun! What a spirited young man you are Walter Dolneaz!"

The butler suddenly grew in size before the vampire. Now thirty years of age, his long hair now in the style of a combed back ponytail, Walter

stared furiously at the vampire.

"Enough bullshit! I never enjoyed what I did to you!" the butler hissed "I was following orders from Sir Arthur to make a believeable show of it so

you'd never suspect it was his idea! For all the good my attempts did! I bloody told him you'd figure it out sooner or later!"

Alucard's eyes widened and Walter strained on the wires till they finally snapped, the loose ends whipped out and carved two long furrows in the

floorboards.

"But, why would he order you to do that then? If you advised him otherwise..." Alucard asked.

The butler smirked "He though you needed to be taught a lesson. He was afraid of you, you know? Even back then he was afraid. He wanted you

humbled so you'd never forget your place was to serve humans, especially us!"

"But then why...? Why didn't you tell me about this afterwards Walter?" Alucard whispered.

"Why?" Walter echoed with a harsh laugh "How the hell could I explain so soon afterwards? And how could I after you were incarcerated?"

"But I was released! You could have told me at any point!" Alucard objected.

"No. A promise to a dying man not to let his daughter see him as anything but a good father and to protect the family name stopped me. He was

worried you'd ruin his image out of spite and a butler's lot in life is to follow orders. Even from his former employers." he said bitterly.

"Walter! I... I am so sorry! If I'd known..." Alucard whispered, retreating away from the man and restoring his clothes.

Walter rubbed his sore red lips "Well, that is very decent of you Alucard, and I am sorry for my part."

Alucard nodded "I don't suppose we can put this behind us then...?"

"Well... perhaps."

"Perhaps?" Alucard replied with a frown.

"We will know once I get this out of my system. Sorry."

Walter swung a fist into the vampire's face. Alucard hit the floor.

"Well how do you feel?" the butler asked softly.

Alucard grunted "I suppose I deserved that..."

Walter smiled and Alucard grinned. "Well Walter, I am again sorry."

"Don't be."

"No, really I am. You see, I can't heal so well right now and that actually hurt. However you can heal. So I'm sorry for this."

And with that the vampire heaved Walter off his feet and threw him at the window. It shattered and Walter fell with a cry of pain from the second

floor to the grounds below the manor...

* * *

**I suspect some people are thinking 'well that's odd.' but don't.  
I needed to wrap this chapter up with and clear the characters relationships up a little for sake of the plot. Ending the chapter with a fight to break the tension seemed a good way of doing it.  
This story is about Walter first and foremost but the next chapter will focus heavily on Integra as well as Walter.  
Do not be deterred, it's all part of the plan.**


	11. Perspectives

I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.

* * *

Integra and Seras were outside in a flash. A figure landed hard with a cry of pain. From the second floor a figure stood in the broken glass from

one of the closed off rooms.

Integra gasped "Alucard! You didn't!" she whispered fiercely under her breath.

Seras' alarmed cry came to her ears "Walter! My god, are you alright?"

Integra hurried her pace to catch up with Seras but she suddenly heard the draculina giggling. Integra was relieved, laughter was a good sign.

Behind her Alucard chuckled "What fun! Still got a good sense of humour I see."

She spun on her heel and stared up at her servant. "Would you care to explain that?"

"Not really."

"Well I'm bloody telling you to! What the hell are you playing at Alucard?"

Alucard looked past Integra and through the house with his third eye to where Walter should lying be around the corner, he frowned at an

embrace being exchanged between the butler and Seras...

Something was going on over there.

He frowned, and for a second he was tempted to let Integra go and see so that she would split it up. However he realised he was being petty,

was he jealous? Was that possible?

He snorted at the idea, and then looked down at Integra "Very well Master." he bowed "Then I shall."

* * *

Seras ran over to Walter who was knelt in a careful landing posistion. She noted he was in his thirty year old form and she felt that awkwardness

once more.

Walters hands and knees were scuffed and dirty from mud and grass where Walter had angled the fall so as not to injure his back.

She was amazed once more with Walter's self control as the butler rose and brushed himself down, she'd have been shaken and giddy with

adrenaline had she fallen from a second floor window! But then again he was practically a first class gymnast even as an old man, so he was

probably used to falling from heights.

Whilst she was impressed she was still angry at him.

Walter turned to face her. She stared back at him. Both remained tableau for a few split seconds then Walter bowed.

"Good Evening Miss. I'm sorry you have to see me in such a state."

Seras stared amazed and then giggled, the man had been thrown from a window moments ago and yet here he was more concerned with a little

dirt!  
_  
Protocol and appearance_ she though and shook her head at the butlers inexplicable behavior.

The Hellsing butler chuckled too.

"Listen Miss, may I talk to you about what you saw earlier?"

Seras stopped giggling instantly and she went serious "What about it?" she asked suspiciously "You going to tell me something else I don't want

to know?"

"Far from it. Alucard and I have resolved the matter. Now I need you to hear it."

Seras listened carefully to Walter's brief explanation for his actions fifty years ago.

"But listen to me, Sir Integra must never know! It would break her heart, so she must never be told what her father ordered." The butler warned

her sternly.

Seras nodded after digesting that knowledge. Then she ran over to him, wrapped her arms around his tall frame and held him tightly to her.

"I knew you couldn't be that cruel!" she said, relieved at the news, "I knew it!"

Walter smiled softly and put an arm around her back, returning the embrace.

"Do you forgive me, Seras?"

The girl nodded "Yes Walter."

Walter sighed and smiled more fully "Thank God" he mumbled "Last thing I needed was to have rgained Alucard's trust only to discover I had lost

yours."

The butler bowed at her "And now, if you will excuse me."

Seras stared after him "Wait, where are you going? Don't you need something for your hands?"

"No. I do however need to clean up the mess I've caused and explain it to Sir Integra."

* * *

Integra walked with Alucard a short way out into the grounds. Beneath the darkness she lit a cigar, the glow illuminated her eyes and face for a

moment.

Alucard waited patiently and noted how differently the daughter behaved to the father. He would have shouted and raged at them if he thought

they'd not told him the truth. Then he would have pestered the butler until Walter grew tired of it and told him the truth, or most of it.

Yet Integra's typical reaction was to smoke a cigar and reflect on the problem, trying to work it out logically in her head before speaking to

anyone. She would ask for only facts, then weigh it against the character to decide if it was the truth.

She was remarkable.

Alucard watched her for a few more moments then spoke softly.

"Walter and I have unresovled issues. Past issues that I can't tell you about."

Integra frowned and made a noise for him to continue.

"During the time spent with your father we did things that would make most tremble, and we said things to each other that we both regret. I

forgave an old Walter all these things because it was in the past, but having said that, if I could go back I would do things differently and I would

hurt him."

Integra's eyes widened in realisation "But in a way you both have, he's young again and you're ageless."

Alucard nodded "Precisely Master, as I once told him, our issues are much like children's petty squabbles and we have both become children

again."

Integra sighed "So, can I trust the two of you to work together without trying to kill one another?"

Alucard smiled and smoothly replied "Of course, our personal issues are always put aside for the good of our Master. There's as much friendship

as there is emnity between me and Walter. What I'm really saying is don't be surprised if we do things or act unusually towards one another in

the process of doing our duty."

Integra looked up at the night sky. "Fetch Walter. I need a chat with him. Alone." she warned the vampire as he went off into the darkness.

* * *

Walter sighed and finished sweeping the broken glass from the tarmac beneath the window. He was surrised how far he'd been flung by Alucard.

"Quite the distance. Good show." he mumbled with a smile.

As he emptied the glass into a bin and put it with the rest of the household rubbish, he looked up at the window and frowned. It wouldn't do

looking like that, not whilst he still had some time to kill.

He sought out wood, a hammer and a box of nails and proceeded with the lot to the house. A quick jog up the stairs took him to the room. He

looked on it as he laid down his equipment, he still regretted his actions, but he no longer felt guilty. He was relieved that the issue was at long

last settled.

But enough nostalgia butler, he thought, there's work to be done.

Once he'd boarded up the window and swept again, he locked the room up and went outside to see it from a more critical angle.

He grinned to himself as he looked at the house from the street, it was not that bad. Fortunately the window was more to the side of the building

and that meant the the look of the place wasn't spoiled as badly as it might have been.

He strolled back and treated himself to a smoke.  
_  
Ah! Sweet tobacco!_ he chuckled to himself, and took a deeper drag from it.

"I haven't missed that habit." Alucard said moodily from behind him.

Walter paused and took a delibrately long pull before exhaling slowly.

"And a very good... is it still evening or is it morning?" Walter said with a frown at the horizon.

Alucard shrugged "Its late enough to say either I think." he replied "Master wants you. She wants a chat over there." he pointed.

Walter smiled "Well I'm on my way, are you coming?"

Alucard shook his head with a rueful grin "I'm forbidden this one time."

Walter paused "And when did that stop you?"

"It didn't, but this time I'll get to ask you what you were talking about and you can surprise me for a change."

Walter let out an amused noise. "Fair enough."

He set off to speak with his Master.

* * *

Integra waited, she'd been waiting a short while now and her cigar was finished.

She sighed, the night was cold and rolled her shoulders to ease her tired muscles, she stifled a yawn and drew another cigar from her jacket.  
_  
This is getting to be a bad habit. I've smoked three more cigars tonight now than I normally would._ she thought as she put the tobacco to her lips.

A hand with a zippo shot out in front of her, and at the end of the cigar a flame snapped into existence.

She drew in the smoke, and smiled in genuine amusement as the seventy year old face of Walter came out of the shadows to her left.

She took the cigar from her lips "How long were you practising before you started doing that for me?"

He grinned wolfishly "My whole life."

She raised her eyebrows "No wonder that motions got that polished easy look to it." she commented.

"Yes Sir." Walter agreed humbly "Do you mind if I have one?"

She waved a hand, 'go for it' the motion suggested.

Walter drew out a cigarette and lit it for himself "You wanted to speak to me my Lady?"

"Yes. Yes, I did." she admitted.

There was a pause as they both smoked their tobacco, finally Walter broke the silence.

"I've repaired the damage to the window sir."

"Oh good."

"The house is in good shape again, but we need redecorators and new carpets I fear."

Integra looked out at London where extensive damage, some caused by Walter himself, was currently being cleared. How many thousands were

homeless? How many dead? The repairs would take months, perhaps years.

All things considered, any place to call home was better than no home at all, Hellsing was lucky to have such a low butchers bill in structural

damage.

However like most in London it had paid a heavy price for the shelter in blood.

"Walter" she finally said "How do you really feel about Alucard. Now that some truths have been brought to light?"

For a terrifying second Walter was afraid she was referring to his history with Aludette, however he was relieved almost immediately as Integra

elaborated.

"Alucard claimed you have a troubled past."

Walter nodded "Yes Sir. Very troubled. It wasn't always easy working with a vampire for me and he didn't always like my behavior."

Integra smiled "What kind of behavior?"

"Oh you know, the usual boyish things. I had strops, tantrums, I went through that depressed period of my teenaged years. I suppose the

biggest issue he really had was that I was a stickler for rules and duty. The fact I always did as I was told was annoying for him."

Integra made a noise "Alright then."

"Did you call me out here to talk about my past?"

Integra shrugged "I'm really not sure, I suppose I miss the times we often used to talk together."

Walter bowed "I am always at your service Sir."

Integra nodded and said nothing.

"Sir?"

She looked at Walter.

"I have to ask, do you recall much of your father?"

Surprised by the question, Integra's answer was hesitant.

"I recall quite a bit. I remember a lot from when I was little."

Walter nodded "May I ask how you felt about him? Not as a father but as a man."

She paused and tried to recall as much of her father as she could "He was... a good man. I think. He cared about people, he cared about doing

his duty well. "

Walter smiled "And what about vampires?"

She frowned and softly replied, her response took Walter completely by surprise.

"He told me shortly before he passed on, that he pitied them their long, empty existence. He said they must feel like frightened children."

Walter nodded "Yes. I think I can understand that pity. We all feel like monsters at some stage in our lives, can you imagine never being able to change it and having to live eternally with

it? It makes you wonder what creatures like Alucard really feel like about their existence when they're constantly viewed as monsters."

Integra looked at him, she wondered for a moment if Walter really meant Alucard, or if he was referring to himself.

But she did not ask, and the butler did not say any more. They watched the rising dawn until Walter had to excuse himself. Left alone with her thoughts Integra turned and headed back

to the house.

* * *

**Well. Another chapter up.  
The next should follow shortly, but no promises. I'm abolutely shattered these days from night shift work and I've a much needed holiday coming up.  
This may or may not affect how speedily my chapters come online.  
Please R+R.**


	12. Good Excercise

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.**

* * *

Walters leg shot out and his foot collided with the air where Alucard had previously been stood. The butler hissed in irritation and rubbed sweat

out of his eyes. He heard the chuckle behind him and without pause he spun around and his hand snapped out in the direction of the noise, the

wire cracked loudly in the still air and with a rush of air and a whipping noise it finally came to rest on the floor.

Alucard clapped his hands softly "Excellent Walter." he complimented the butler.

The nosfiratu reached up and rubbed his cheek. A fine smear of blood came away with his fingers and the smallest trickle ran down his face from

the finest cut beneath his eye.

The butler panted and after a few deep breaths composed himself, though he was in his thirty year old form he gasped as though he were nearly

seventy. Privately he had made a promise not to be any younger than thirty unless he absolutely had to, but it was becoming a temptation in

these little practise sessions to break that promise just to keep up with Alucard.

"Unarmed combat against you is bloody difficult." Walter grumbled "and I still had to use my wires in the end!" he huffed.

Alucard chuckled again "Not to worry little Angel. You're just out of practise; years of relying on fighting from a distance is bound to make your

close combat rusty."

Seras clapped from the doorway making both men turn, how long had she been there...?

Alucard frowned at her and Walter bowed crisply with a warm smile.

"Seras." the nosfiratu said by way of greeting.

"Good evening, Miss Victoria." the butler replied smoothly.

She laughed at the difference in reaction to her presence. "Master, how is it that Walter's younger than you but he's the more polite?" she asked.

The No-King stared moodily at her "He's been brought up that way, and I'm old enough to be set in my ways."

"Oh, well. Please don't stop because of me, it was just getting exciting!" she said happily and leaned back against the wall.

Walter smiled apologetically and wiped sweat off his face "Unfortunatlely miss, we had just come to the end of the session. I have duties to

attend to."

She pouted "Aww. No fair."

Walter chuckled and waved a finger at her "I'm sure you'll get a chance to see me in action soon enough." he promised and went to shower.

Seras walked up to her Master. She looked up at the tall man with a mixture of respect and caution.

"What did Walter mean by that Master?"

The tall vampire grinned at her "Walter's been given permission to come on missions with us. Our Master thinks the excercise will do him good," he  
gave her a suggestive grin "Help get his mind back on track and off the temptations of youth."

Seras flushed and looked away guiltily.

Alucard laughed "I'm joking police girl! She just thinks it's a waste to have him here instead of the field. But I'm curious to see how Walter will

behave. I hope he's like he used to be..."

The older vampire'a voice sounded odd to Seras. It was anticipatory, like a starving man awaiting a banquet.

She looked curiously at him and asked "What do you mean?"

Alucard grinned his wicked smile at her and replied "Well, you'll find out, won't you?"

* * *

Walter and Alucard strolled through the graveyard, looking for all the world like an old man and his companion.

Alucard stopped and looked around. "Well Walter, fifty years and here we are again. Back to basics; do you feel anything?"

The old man closed his eyes and a smile flickered around his lips as he breathed "Yes. Yes I can. Ghouls and some vampires."

Alucard grinned "Excellent. Well then, I suppose that's all you need. Now try to keep up with me, Angel of Death!"

The red clad agent sprinted off into the night with a laugh.

The elderly man chuckled "Typical." he said loudly "Why he's got no manners at all! Here he leaves me, an old man, who barely has strength as it

is and asks me to keep up...!" he heard the roar from behind him and turned, eyes wide with surprise.

A vampire leapt out from behind him, the creature looked like a young girl. From her attire she'd likely been a prostitute, but of course young

people's fashions were often so suggustive it was hard for Walter to be sure.

However as the 'girl' leapt from the shadows Walter's hands whipped out, the girls snarl turned to a yelp of fear as she was bound tightly in mid

leap with his steel wires. Walter smiled and snapped both hands down. The motion flung the creature to the floor with a jarring thump where she

then had a short muddy skid towards him.  
_  
How satisfying_ Walter thought to himself.

The 'girl' moaned in fear and tried to get loose. She cried out for help but the butler tightened one of the wires around her throat, cutting off the

noise and making the girl choke.

Walter advanced on her, his fingers weaving to and fro, gathering the loosening excess wire to maintain the tight hold on the vampire. She

struggled, like a fly caught in a web. The butler laughed as he reached her and kicked her onto her back with the toe of his shoe, that was exactly

what she was; a mere bug! A parasitic mosquito.  
_  
Well, we all know what to do with mosquitoes_ he thought to himself as he looked into her terrified eyes.

"Not bad for an old man, is it?"

He tightened his grip on the wires, watching the binding press deep into the skin of his victim, making her moan and tremble. Walter then whipped  
one of his hands back. The binding tore through the neck like it was soft butter and the vampire disintegrated with a scream.

Alucard shot another ghoul. The moaning zombie let out a final grunt of pain and vanished as the holy silver put a hole through his rotting face.

The nosfiratu grinned. This was a good excercise for him.

He heard a scream from back the way he had come. _You're slow tonight Walter_ he thought _You didn't use to take this much time_.

He heard another moan from the side of him. Without thinking his hand shot out and he grabbed the ghoul by the throat and held it at arms

length. Without looking he pulled it close and raised the gun with the other hand and pulled the trigger. Alucard continued to search the grounds

for Walter as he felt the ghoul crumble beneath his fingers.

Ah, there was the Angel of Death now. _And looking pleased with himself_ thought Alucard with a grin.

As he stepped out of the gloom, Walter's skin hissed with steam and his elderly complexion smoothed into the graceful aristocratic features of his

thirty year old self. The butler gave him a cool, appraising glance and brushed some loose strands of hair out of his face.

"Are you finished playing with your toys?" The Butler asked lazily.

Alucard chuckled, Walter's voice sounded so refined and yet it sounded so mocking. It was almost like his own sometimes.

"Yes." he answered without hesistation "Shall we move on to the main event?"

The butler reached into his waistcoat and pulled out a spare clip for Alucards gun. Unfortunately as he'd destroyed the Jackal in their fight at

London Alucard was back on the regulation standard weapon for all members of Hellsing, which was an adapted HK model with silver bullets.

Alucard grimaced at the weapon and hissed with displeasure "This is a poor substitute for both my former weapons."

Walter smiled and raised his eyebrows "Perhaps a few suitable improvements can be made, at least until I've finished making another Jackal?"

Alucards head snapped up and he grinned "Will it be a better Jackal than the last?"

Walter laughed at the boyish enthusiasm in the vampires voice.

"You know, I'm really not sure I could have improved upon that weapon if I'd tried..."

"Walter, if you couldn't then no one could." Alucard stated bluntly.

The butler blushed at such praise, but on reflection he considered such modesty a little bit farcial.

After all, he really was rather good at his hobby.

* * *

As the two of them strolled back through the graveyard a short while later all was silent and calm.

Walter had reverted to his true age and was busy tidying himself up, wiping the spots of blood away and checking his clothes for any damage

they might have sustained during his acrobatics and butchery. Alucard was tempted to complain about it and to tell Walter off for being too fussy,

but he kept quiet. He reminded himself that this wasn't the previous young Walter who'd have laughed and not cared about his appearance until

he got back home, but an older man who'd been long set in his ways and been a butler too long not to care about his image.

Alucard kept quiet, thinking about the past. He could have broken the silence; telling Walter how he'd been in perfect form tonight and what a

delight it was to se his old friend all fired up and eager to kill again.

His technique tonight had been flawless, and that it had seemed that the young Walter had never been gone. But though he could have said any

of these things, Alucard didn't bother. Walter wasn't the type for flattery, it would have simply embarrased him.

Alucard looked up, the moon was half full and had an odd waxen look to it, which Alucard found quite pleasant. He lowered his glasses and looked  
up at it with an appreciative smile.

"Walter, tell me. What do you make of that?" he said casually and indicated to the sky when the butler gave him a confused glance.

Walter stopped his examinations and looked up. He pursed his lips together in thought.

"Well?" he pressed "What do you think?"

Walter sighed and looked at him "I think you're a very strange man Alucard."

The vampires eyebrow rose fractionally, that was an unexpected answer.

"Oh?"

Walter looked at him and spoke mildly "It's nice, but it's just the moon and it'll always be there. I find more beauty in the little things I do."

Alucard almost sneered "Like making the perfect cup of tea?"

Walter threw his head back and laughed, the moonlight glinted off the monocle. "No." he replied "But there is a certain satisfaction to be had out

of that."

Alucard chuckled "Still the same eager-to-please butler, Walter?"

The man smiled sadly and both instantly recalled the night in London.

"Not the same one." Walter said quietly, though he shrugged "But eager to please? Yes. Yes I am."

* * *

**I'm sorry it took so long, I've been busy with other stories. Please R+R.**


	13. Troubling Thoughts

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.**

**Authors note; Upon a quick revision of my fic I noted some things are inconsistent within this story. These will be corrected once I have completed the fic along with an other errors. I apologise if these mistakes have interrupted your viewing pleasure.**

* * *

Upon returning to the household Walter bid Alucard a good night.

"I have some duties to attend to, cleaning up and such. It'll be dull old friend. Why don't you go and find something to amuse yourself for a bit. I'll bring you something to eat if you like?"

The vampire shrugged "That would be good."

Walter smiled "Very good, and Alucard? For goodness sake, whatever you do make sure you don't bother anyone tonight. I'm busy enough as it is."

Alucard gave him a look "You're too kind Walter, really. Shall I enjoy a book, or perhaps some television?" he asked in mocking tones and headed down the corridor.

Walter sighed "Please Alucard?" he implored as he hurried after him "Just for tonight? I'm very behind schedule after that mission."

Alucard stopped and looked at him "And what's in it for me Walter? I get bored very easily."

Walter shrugged, unable to give a good reason he joked "You get the novelty of knowing what it feels like to do as you've been asked without it being an order?"

"Very drole." The vampire's expression was unenthusiastic "I'll think about it." he said and disappeared into the floor.

"Thank you." Walter said to the empty space.

As the butler turned away he heard Alucard's voice in his head.  
_  
Well, I've thought about it Walter, my answer is no promises._ the mocking laughter inside his head made Walter sigh in resignation.

"Bloody nuisance." he muttered irritably.

* * *

After a short time a shadow moved in the bedroom of Integra Wingates Hellsing. From the corner of the room Alucard watched her sleeping. Her

chest rising and falling beneath the sheet as she slept like the dead. Alucard's mouth twitched into a smirk at the curious phrase; whoever had

said or written that clearly knew nothing of vampires. The dead did not breathe, they did not move, they certainly did not look as _alive _as Integra

Hellsing did right now.

Humans, he though, had such funny ideas about death sometimes. From past experience he could firmly tell anyone the death was nothing like

sleep. It was not even close.

As he watched her it occurred to Alucard that Integra Hellsing slept more like a little girl. He walked over to get a closer look, he was graceful and

silent as a cat as he leaned over her and regarded her. He kept a respectful distance lest she wake up, and though it had not happened yet there  
was always the chance it might.

And what would she do, he wondered with a smile. Indeed, what would someone like Integra Hellsing do if she woke to find him spying on her as

she slept in her bed?

Would she be angry, humiliated? Perhaps make furious demands for explanation and an apology?

Or would she be intrigued, curious at the strange habit he had made his practise since the day she had woken him from his near death slumber so  
many years ago.

Or would she say nothing at all, and merely offer him that cold, narrow, calculating glance from behind her glasses, once she'd put them on, and

simply wait for him to make the next move?

Alucard's smile broadened to that impossibly wide toothy grin. So many options, and all deliciously attractive and appealing.

For a second he was tempted to wake her, to discover what the answer to his curiosity might be. But of course, if he did that, then the question

would lose all charm it had and merely turn to yet another memory.

Alucard enjoyed anticipating things, when one lived as long an existence as he had then you had to have something to enjoy. One day she would

wake whilst he watched, but not tonight, and it must never be brought about by himself.

But for that, what if he should simply want to have a little fun? He grinned inside as he reached out one such pale, gloved hand and brushed some

stray strands of hair from her face. Integra's eyes fluttered but she didn't stir. He took such delight in flirting with danger and trouble, if he woke

her there would be hell to pay. Yet was there any better, more worthy opponent for a creature like him to torment than a Hellsing? He did not

think any other could exist for him, not anymore. Not after Van Hellsing and after all these years of servitude. Not after what Arthur Hellsing had

made Walter do to him. He still wanted revenge at the old Master for that dirty little trick.

He leaned down further still, his lips were centimeters away from hers. It was the closest he had dared go in all these years, and encouraged only

by his desires to flirt with trouble. But still she did not stir. Fascinating. The bond between the Master and Servant should surely be alerting her

subconscious mind to him now, she should surely wake up at this proximity as it skirted on dangerous for her in many ways. But still she _did not_.

stir

He pressed luck as far as he could by purring softly into her ear "Are you never curious Master? You've never once asked me what I thought of

your father. Indeed I wonder who really knew the man better, you for twelve years as his daughter or me for ten years as his despised but

irreplacable agent?"

he grinned as Integra's breath caught for a moment. She'd heard that, somewhere inside she'd definitely heard that.

W_ell hear this little one_, he thought cruelly.

"The great Arthur is not as golden as you think and hope Integra," Alucard whispered into her ear "he's merely polished brass whom others have

scraped the muck off in order to benefit your admiration. _Ask_ and perhaps someone will show you the original product."

He heard footsteps down the corridor, he felt the presence and it was familiar. It was time to go.

The monstrous servant smiled shrewdly and retreated. Ah well, all good things must end, he thought, and so Alucard retreated into the shadows

he had come from and left Integra to her sleep.

* * *

Integra Hellsing was still sleeping soundly when a crisp knocking sounded on the door, Integra's eyes opened reluctantly and she turned on the

light at the side of her bed.

She reached out a pale arm to get her spectacles from the table at the side of her bed. She groaned as she saw the clock; it was barely four in

the morning which meant she'd only turned about two hours ago after Walter and Alucard had returned from the clean up operation.

She let out a grunt of irritation and considered ignoring the intrusion and going back to sleep, but unfortunately she knew it must be important if it

warranted her personal attention at this early hour. Besides, she was awake now; she might as well address the situation.

Something else nagged her, she'd had a rather poor sleep, voices had interrupted her rest and she couldn't recall what had been said. But it

had mentioned her father, which always made her uncomfortable. She wished very badly she could recall it...

"Yes?" she called out, putting the urges away for the moment.

"It's Walter, Sir." the butler replied from behind the door. Ah, but of course, who else would I expect to knock before entering my bed chamber?

she thought humourously.

She stifled a yawn and grunted from fatigue as she rose, her back ached and her head was pounding from the days earlier workload. She pulled

on a robe to cover herself and opened the door.

Walter, dressed in his freshly pressed uniform bowed his head politely, when he spoke his voice was apologetic "Ma'am I'm terribly sorry to wake

you. We received a call from intelligence a few minutes ago. Something important has come up."

Integra's lips twisted and she rose an eyebrow. "Mm. So I gathered." she muttered tiredly, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

Walter said nothing as he picked up tray from the floor, which held a steaming cup of tea, a bowl of sugar cubes, a plate with two soft boiled eggs

(one in an egg cup) and buttered bread. There were two silver spoons and knife for her use as well as a lone cigar for her enjoyment.

Integra nodded in appreciation and felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth, Walter was indeed an excellent butler. He had learned to

anticipate her whims and adapt accordingly; waking Integra early required she have a cup of tea and food but nothing that would sit heavily on

her stomach. Waking her for work often put her in a bad mood but with a cigar to hand she was at least allowed the simple pleasure of a smoke

before the grim business at hand.

She opened the door "Put them on the bedside table Walter. I'll be out in a few minutes."

The butler bowed and silently placed the tray down as instructed and left, closing the door as he did so.

Integra sighed and ate breakfast quickly before washing her face and dressing. Her hair was acceptable enough for work so she didn't bother

with it, and even if she could have been bothered it would be too time consuming to brush out any tangles right now.

She opened the door and Walter smiled at her "Good morning Sir Integra."

"Good morning Walter." she rose the cigar to her lips, Walter's had shot out with the zippo and clicked the flame into existence. A few seconds

later she was inhaling the precious and flavoursome product; Henri Wintermans finest tobacco.

At her office she spoke into the phone as details were given her. A car that crashed, nearby a body had been found in the woods bearing some

unusual wounds.

"Look this had better be something that the local authorities can't handle" she warned the officer at the end of the phone "I'm busy enough as it

is these days without hunting psychopaths."

The voice that answered her sounded just as tired as she was "Look Sir Hellsing, I've had a look at the body, there's no doubt about it. This

weren't done by no human in their right mind. It's bloody monstrous. I contacted Scotland Yard and they got back to me referring me to you by

name. They said 'Give this one to Sir Hellsing, she's an expert at this sort of thing.' and that's all I can tell you other than the details."

She pursed her lips together in thought and muttered to herself "Vampires..."

"Could be Sir, could be." the man sounded unconvinced "The body bears the evidence of torture before death and there was money left too, all in

coins I'm told but I didn't see it." the man continued at the end of the line.

"There are some pretty sick freaks out there. Thank you for bringing it to my attention." Integra replied, she was already thinking they might be up

against another pair like Luke and Yan Valentine. Thank god these wouldn't have access to the artificial chips though, that had been a hellish

experience for all involved.

"Well thank you for hearing me out Sir, I'll get my man to send you an email with some shots of the body."

She thanked him for the assistance and sat back, waiting for the email.

When it arrived she nodded in approval at the efficiency of the police force, and opened the file.

The first picture was a man, she zoomed in and her heart went cold. She knew that individual. It was that Doctor that she had asked to help fix up

Walter, there was no mistake. His details had been attached to the file.

The poor man had clearly been tortured, his eyes had been put out, his skin was covered in lacerations and bruises. He had finally been hung from

a tree and left there with money at his feet.

There was something important about that... a vampire had no use for money, so why carry it in the first place? Why deliberately leave it with

a body?

Suddenly she recalled a phrase she'd heard regarding this scenario, she closed her eyes and cast her mind back to the night in London.

Amidst the flames and blood, facing a horde of Nazi's, Father Anderson had cried out;  
_  
For our sins, when the time comes, we will cast these thirty pieces of silver into the temple... and hang ourselves with this halter made of straw._

The Vatican's dirty secret, the Iscariot Division. Section XIII. Whatever you wanted to call them, they were the equivalent of Hellsing in many ways.

Well, they had been until lately.

Their ranks had been decimated, Anderson was dead and its commander in chief, the Bishop Maxwell, was dead with him. The Iscariot's were

leaderless and crippled from the loss of Anderson. So, it begged the question; why would they do this? What motive would there be for such a

brutal assault against a Doctor? And why leave such a blatant and obvious symbol to trace.

Integra's brow knitted in concentration, Maxwell had ordered the Catholic army to destroy all Protestants during the battle, so clearly they weren't

above shedding innocent blood to accomplish their means.

Even so, this didn't feel right. She needed someone who could figure it out.

She leaned back and a smile crossed her face. Finally, after months of being caught on the back foot, Hellsing had an advantage it could use for

exactly this situation.

"Walter?" she called.

The door opened, the butler looked curiously at her. "Yes, Sir?"

"Send Seras up to me. I think I have something that our former Police girl will be very suited to."

Walter bowed crisply "Will that be all Sir?"

Integra looked down and opened the desk drawer.

"More cigars, please."

"Very good Sir."

* * *

**Well we're back on track. I hope you're enjoying it, and maybe your already drawing your own conclusions.  
But you'll have to wait and see, won't you?  
Please R+R.**


	14. Darkness within

****

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.**

**

* * *

**

Walter briskly walked down the stairs towards the lower floor of the manor, he paused at the kitchen to drop off the tray and then decended yet another flight of stairs to the sub levels.

He made his way deep into the cold darkness until he came to Seras room. It was a thick heavy door situated down the same passage as Alucard's chamber.

He knocked softly on the door, the knocks resounded in the chamber beyond but beyond that there was nothing. Walter shrugged, she must be out somewhere. He decided to have a

little check just in case he was wrong. He gingerly opened it and stepped in, shutting the door behind him as he entered. The room was a little spartite, it held the barest essentials that

Seras would need. He wondered if she liked it, or if she had been ordered not to change it. Alucard sneered at the notion of 'human comforts' and his own chamber was only just

furnished enough for someone to realise it was in use.

He advanced further into the room, he heard a little mumble from the corner of the room. Walter checked it out and paused, a slight smile on his face. Seras was lying down in the coffin

sleeping soundly.

He lingered over the coffin, unsure of whether to leave the girl to sleep and come back later, of course he wasn't sure how his master would take that... no it was probably better to wake

her so as not to keep Sir Integra waiting. As he leaned over to shake her awake gently he was captivated by how good she looked even in the dim light of room that hid so much in

shadows. She must have recently taken some refreshment for her skin looked positively luminous. she looked very alive for a vampire, though it was just the blood being digested through

the system that gave the impression of a flush on her cheeks and made her lips a touch pinker than they normally would have been. He could smell soap and scents on her as well, he

suspected he'd probably just missed out on her stepping out of the shower.

She sighed again and squirmed to get comfortable, he noticed just how interestingly her chest moved... he felt a wave of desire creeping up on him again.

He swallowed and tried to repress the mental images that swarmed through his mind; god it was just like being a teenager all over again... but he was an old man he reminded himself,

and this feeling was wrong.

Well it should be he thought but it isn't to me.

"See sumthin' you like, eh?" a heavily accented voice spoke from behind him.

Walter turned on his heel to see the essence of Pip Bernadotte scowling at him. This wasn't the mortal man but rather the soul or life force of the former mercenary. Walter was surprised

at his presense for normally familiars could not come and go as they pleased, perhaps it was because she was asleep?

No matter, Walter bowed politely at him "I just came to wake her Captain." he said pleasantly.

Pip snorted "Yeah, of cours' you did. Take your sweet time doin' it too." he said sarcastically as he lit up a cigarette that he seemed to be able to retain even in a spiritual form.

Walter blushed "Can I help you Captain?" he asked a little tightly "because if I can't help you, would you mind leaving me alone?"

Pip glared at him "I'm not goin' anywhere, and you leave 'er alone. Don't touch 'er."

Normally Walter would have obliged for an easy life, but the mercenary was annoying him, it seemed everyone was out to limit his options these days and tell him what to do. He fought

an anger that was building inside of him, he tried to repress it. Counting to ten in his head and letting out a slow sigh through his nose he reminded himself that he was still under

suspicion by people like Pip.

"You know Captain," he said in an attempt to change the subject "In eighty percent of all relationships being too possessive is interpreted as distrust which is quite damaging in a young

couples relationships. Especially in the early stages."

Pip snorted. Walter smiled; he knew Pip didn't have as close a relationship with Seras as he was implying.

"I trust Seras, I don't trust you." Pip said.

Walter's eyes narrowed "I beg your pardon, I didn't quite catch that?" he replied softly.

The Frenchman dropped the smoking cigarette to the floor and scuffed it out, when he raised his foot the butt was gone as though it had never been.

"I said, that it's not 'er that I don't trust. It's you." the mercenary indicated with a hand to Walter's household uniform "No matter what you say, you're still a turn coat. You'll always be a

turncoat."

Walter went cold. The Frenchman had stuck a nerve in him there and it hurt. "How dare you say that...!" he hissed angrily.

"'Ow dare I?" Pip echoed with a laugh "Oh of course, I must be mistaking you with another Walter! One who tried to kill Mister Alucard because he wanted to see if he could, a different

butler who self proclaimed his intention to kill everyone! Does that sound familiar to you Walter?"

Walter looked down at the floor.

"I was not myself. I was chipped."

Pip smiled unkindly "Yeah? Seras said as much, but I don't buy it Walter. How can we believe anything you say?" he leaned in closer "Who's to say we may not still 'ave one more Nazi to

kill?"

Walter's frayed temper snapped, he could stand the accusations because they were true even if he'd not intended for them to happen. But he would not stand here and be accused of

being a Nazi. Not by this trash.

He turned and opened the door to the room. He tried to breathe normally but his breath wouldn't come easily, his chest was tight with anger and hurt. Betrayal was not easy to live with

and teh accusations hurt him. Not a few days ago he'd have been trusted with anything, but now... now there would never be that level of trust again. It was like losing a limb for the

Butler, and the phantom pain would not stop in his chest. Were he not already dead he would have believed he would be dead from shame by now.

He turned to look at Pip, the frenchman had a smirk on his face. As though he'd won some kind of victory over the butler.

Seras. It was all about Seras... Walter felt furious. This petty little man was mocking him and all because he couldn't score with his own Master.

Walter clenched a gloved hand into a fist and grabbed the mercenary. Caught unaware Pip didn't have time to react and Walter's threw him into the hallway, he charged after him and

shut the door swiftly so as not to awaken Seras.

His gloved hand collided with Pip's mouth. The Frenchman reeled and blood trickled from his split lip. The familiar staggered and gaped in shock as he touched his fingers to his lips, raised

the gloved hand and stared at the blood on his finger tips. Walter stood breathing hard, staring into Pip's eyes.

The mercenary's eyes smoldered with anger and with a snarl he pulled out the firearm from his side and levelled it at the butler.

There was a resounding crack and Pip let out a strangled cry and dropped the gun as he clutched at his arm. The jacket was torn and blood soaked into the material from the elbow all the

way up to the shoulder, Walter flexed his fingers and whipped his hands up, making the wire he'd just thrown jerk back towards its owner and swept the Frenchman from his feet in a

move that left him sprawled unceremoniously onto the cold floor.

"I don't give a toss what you think" Walter whispered fiercely as he advanced, his ancient face was tight with anger and the light glinted dangerously from his monocle "And I don't think a

dead man who fought for money has a right to lecture me about loyalty and honour. You barely know the meaning, so you can shut your mouth." He glared down the end of his nose at

Pip who was groaning in pain on the floor.

Walter felt good, in fact he felt really good taking his anger out on Pip. He felt his body shifting and changing, filling out with the muscle of youth. The giddy rush of adrenaline pumped into

his system and he realised for a moment how very powerful and in control of this situation he was. He decided to give in a darker part of himself, and really teach this arrogant man his

place. After all, he deserved it for what he'd just said.

* * *

Integra sighed in frustration in her office. What the hell was taking Walter so long? For a half second she wondered if Walter and Seras were defying her orders, but she waved the notion

aside. Walter wouldn't disobey her, not after she'd warned him there would be no more chances.

Unseen by her Alucard watched with a grin.

The nosfiratu lowered himself down through the levels of the house, reappearing in Seras room. His subject opened her eyes and blinked in confusion. She looked around and when her

eyes met his she sat up in her coffin.

"Master!" she said "Have you been there long?"

Alucard favoured her with one of his sexiest grins "Long enough Police girl."

She blushed "Erm.. well. Can I help you?" she asked nervously.

Alucard shook his head "No. But you should go back to sleep. It's nearly daybreak."

He watched her close her eyes and settle down again. He could have told her she was needed and saved Walter a job, but he didn't. He wanted Walter to do the waking. He looked out

with his third eye and resisted the urge to laugh at what he saw. Walter was outside dealing with the mercenary, and he could see the intentions within Walter's mind.

He noted with interest that something was developing inside of Walter, something had been let out by the taunting and revelation of the French mercenary, or perhaps it had been there

since Arthur and had been locked away for years. It was dark and rebellious; and like a fire it was growing bigger and more fierce as it was fuelled by the butlers resentment and anger.

Alucard recognised this was a dangerous development in someone like Walter; it could make or break a man, and it would happen sooner rather than later.

But Alucard smiled despite the threat to his old friend, Walter was a grown man and he needed to face such things alone. Either Walter would give in to the darker nature that was within

him or he would resist it and remain his old self. Man or Monster. Both were fine by Alucard, it meant Walter would remain the way he had always been, or that Alucard would soon have a

kindred spirit.

Now to sit back and enjoy the show. He faded into the wall and returned to his throne. He lifted a goblet of blood and sipped at it with a terrible smile. He should have been concerned for

his old friends welfare and feelings, but he simply didn't have that ability within him anymore. He was a monster after all.

* * *

"Why I thought a cheese eating monkey like you had the wits and experience to protect Sir Integra and her interests I cannot fathom." Walter sneered at Pip as stood over him "Now

then, I want you to remember this; if I'm a loose cannon as you suggest, then this is a very bad time to test that theory. Alucard is at his weakest, I have been assisting Sir Integra in a

daily basis and now retain a certain level of trust from her. Think of all the things I'm capable of for a moment, do you think you could stop me?"

Pip snarled "Seras and I would stop you if you tried anything!"

Walter's eyes narrowed and he looked over his shoulder to the closed door of Seras' room.

He turned back to her familiar who was now crawling to his feet. Walter stepped over and kicked him in the stomach, making the familiar gasp for air. Walter then placed his boot on Pip's

throat.

"I don't think she could, she doesn't have as much experience at fighting as Alucard and myself. But I wouldn't have to kill anyone Mr Bernadotte; I'm old and I know a lot about pain.

They'll never have experienced such agony and believe me even the dead can still feel pain; why do you think ghouls moan so much, why do you think vampires scream when they die for

a second time?"

Pip, struggling against the boot on his throat gasped "I'll fucking kill you if you try anything, Walter!"

Walter grinned nastily at Pip and pressed the heel down harder, "Feel free to try, better men than you have and they lost. Would you please wait here whilst I wake Seras? Thank you."

He whipped out his hands a second time and the wires bound Pips arms and legs together, the butler twisted the wires in his grasp and flicked another out which snaked around Pip's

neck above the boot that was pressed against it. He clenched his hands into fists and the wires bound hard, Pip gasped desperately behind him, unable to speak or even draw breath.

That would keep him quiet.

Walter winked and opened the door, keeping it slightly ajar so he could manipulate the wires as he walked over to the coffin and leaned over pressing his mouth down onto Seras soft

lips.

The girl responded slowly, mumbling a weak protest at the kiss. She frowned as she opened her eyes a touch. "Master...?" she asked sleepily, Walter wasn't sure whether to be flattered

or offended at the comparison. Her eyes widened in shock at the sight of Walter, whites showing all around the deep blue orbs.

"Walter!" she gasped "What.. what are you doing?"

The butler grinned and he concentrated for a second, making his body even more youthful, back to when he was truly in his prime. He stood over her, youthful and glorious. His chest was

revealed by a slightly opened shirt and an unbuttoned waistcoat.

Seras swallowed hard as she stared at him, and she clenched her legs together hard, reminding herself of the trouble this had gotten them both into. What was Walter thinking, taking

such bold risks?

"B- but you can't do this!" she squeaked and blushed as Walter grinned like a Cheshire cat and stroked her cheek.

"Can't I, my dear?" he asked innocently, moving his head down so he could catch her gaze.

Seras stared into his eyes, trying to fight the voices that whispered how attractive the man was...

"What about Sir Integra's orders?" she protested.

Walter chuckled "Yes. She said to pretend our last encounter never happened. That we were never to drink wine again and I was to recall I was an old man. We were to be friends and

collegues but no more." he moved into closer, so his face was close to hers and he purred "But unfortunately I also recall a certain statement of hers that declared me unfit to be her

butler when I fought against you all in London. Now she's not officially reinstated my position as her butler, which means until she does I am not officially obliged to follow her orders. Do

you see my dear?"

Seras went cold, this was wrong.

"Walter, what's wrong with you?" she whispered "You're acting so strangely!"

Walter leaned in and pressed his lips onto hers, his tongue invading her mouth. She cried out in shock but couldn't pull away, confined as she was in her coffin still.

Walter pressed the kiss harder and eventually he pulled away. "Ahh! Now that was quite a kiss Seras!" he gave a boyish laugh.

Seras was now definitely scared. Walter wasn't behaving normally.

"This is a trick, right?" she begged "Tell me that Master's put you up to this!"

Walter looked at her with a sly smile "Oh no, Seras. I'm quite serious. I do believe I'm infatuated with you! Now don't be scared, I know this is sudden." he said with a placating gesture

and he backed away "You're a very beautiful young woman. Now if you don't like me in the same way I can accept it, but I don't wish to continue living a lie anymore, I am not an old man.

Walter Dolneaz is dead. But Walter, the Angel of Death, is very much still in this world and he is as youthful as his needs require him to be."

He raised her hand and kissed it. Seras stared, amazed and stunned by his speech.

"Now with that out of the way, Sir Integra has need of your services my dear. We mustn't keep her waiting." he prompted with a charismatic smile.

* * *

As he walked out he saw his wires were limp. Pip must have opted to dissapear back into Seras at some point. Walter had no familiar but he suspected as he and Alucard went on missions

he might yet gain a few. They'd be helpful in completing his missions. He felt in need of enlightenment on the subject so he jogged up to the heavy metal door that opened into Alucard's

cell. He kicked it open and called out "Alucard, I need to ask about..." he paused. The room was empty. He scowled but shrugged off the disappointment.

He returned to his master upstairs. Integra glared at him.

"You were a long time Walter." she said in a sobering tone.

Walter bowed "I'm so very sorry Ma'am, was there something you needed?" he asked in a concerned tone.

Integra leaned back in her chair and looked at him through her spectacles.

"No." she said at length "But I'm curious. Indulge me Walter, why were you so long" she pulled out a cigar and waved it at him "and why have you addressed me in such a fashion?"

Walter looked down, he still looked like a twenty year old. "Oh!" he said "I'm sorry Sir." he aged his body "It won't happen again. It's just easier to manage the stairs as a young man

rather than an old man." he lied.

Integra looked pityingly at him "Was it so hard before?"

Walter bowed his head "Not so much, but it's still easier as a young man."

Integra thought about it "Well I suppose that makes sense." she admitted, but her eyes didn't hold the same belief.

"Walter tell me honestly, do you like Seras?"

Walter paused, he'd told a lie and Integra wasn't a fool. He admitted the truth.

"I do Master." he said "I know I shouldn't, but I do."

Integra sighed and lit her cigar, drawing deep upon it before exhaling slowly.

"Thank you for your honesty. That will be all Walter."

He was surprised, he'd expected more of a reaction from Sir Integra. "Yes Sir." he turned and went to leave, at the door he paused and looked back.

"Sir, may I ask a favour?"

His Master looked up from her desk.

"Would you object to me remaining as a younger man outside your presence?"

Integra groaned but after a few seconds she sighed "Since you'll pester me until I concede then yes. But you're to be an old man in company and an old man around me. Understand?"

He bowed gratefully "Yes Sir! Thank you Sir!"

He closed the door.

* * *

As he walked away, free of his duties for the night, a rather curious urge pricked at him. He looked quickly over his shoulder; a needless precaution for there was no one around to see his

behavior. He concentrated and returned to his young form. Free of the restraints of old age he sprinted down the corridor and made his way up to the roof. Lightly running along the tiles,

a light breeze ruffling his clothes and hair, Walter made his way over to the far side of the building where he hoped he would not bother Sir Integra with a distraction. Finally there he ran

a full pelt towards the edge of building and leaped off the edge.

A the wind whistled in his ears for a moment, Walter had the sensation of free falling. He let out a wild laugh.

"Yeeaaahoooo!" he cried out as he rejoiced in his youth and freedom.

He landed in a perfect crouch, the impact jarring his arms and legs. He rose and lit a cigarette.

Behind him a menacing laugh came from the garden. Alucard strode out.

"Beautiful night, right Walter?" the No King asked pleasantly.

"Yes." Walter agreed, with a smile that was equally terrible as it was charming. It revealed fangs as sharp as Alucard's own.

Alucard thought

things are about to get very interesting around here.

**

* * *

**

**Please R+R.**


	15. Food for thought

****

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.**

**

* * *

**

The pair strolled next to one another down the gardens of the Hellsing compound, Alucard stared up lazily at the moon and came to a pause somewhere near the centre of the gardens,

Walter noticed and continued to smoke on his cigarette in silence whilst waiting for his companion.

The butler sighed in contentment as he finished his smoke and then ground the butt beneath his heel into the dirt.

"The moon again Alucard?" he inquired "You're as bad as a cat with string, what's so fascinating to you about the suns rays reflected from a piece of rock orbiting the Earth?"

Alucard snorted "What a cold description Walter. Personally I'm just admiring how nicely it lights up the night."

"Mm. Are you now?" Walter mumbled more to himself than his friend, he was not really interested in the sky right now as he patted himself down for more cigarettes, to his digust he was

out of coffin nails.

"Alucard, do you often come out here or did you just happen to follow me tonight?" he asked the No king.

His companion looked amused "Follow you Walter? What do you mean?"

Walter suddenly felt silly, he'd been under the odd impression that Alucard had been watching and laughing at him back down in the sublevels as he'd been slapping Pip around. Despite

that he'd not physically been present the butler still couldn't quite discard the notion as impossible. Very few things were impossible for Alucard to achieve if he put his mind to it.

He decided it was best not to mention it at all, if he was wrong then Alucard might decide to actually start doing it just to annoy him.

Walter changed the subject.

"You know what I think? I think the moons a lot like the sunset, if you've seen it once then that's all you need to know what it looks like." the butler looked up into the night sky "but I

suppose to each their own."

Alucard didn't say anything but continued to stare off into the distance.

The silence stretched on, a low wind rustled the grass at their feet and made the lapels on Alucard coat flap slightly and it tousled Walter's thick raven hair. Walter was bored but he didn't

want to be alone if he could help it. With Seras away on the mission and Integra having turned back in for bed there wasn't really anyone else to talk to.

He decided to at least make the conversation worthwhile.

"There's something I've been curious about." Walter said, turning to face his old friend.

"Oh?"

"Things a vampire can and can't do." he ran a hand through his hair "For example, how is it that you can control your familiars, but Miss Victoria can't do it?"

Alucard sneered "She could if she wanted to. But I don't play with my food."

Walter frowned and tried to make sense of that odd answer. He shook his head in puzzlement "I don't understand what you mean by that."

Alucard removed his glasses and peered at Walter. Shaded under his hair, the iris in both eyes seemed to glow a deep blood red. A smile curled on Alucard's pale lips.

"Why so interested Walter? Does it have something to do with the spat down in the sub levels?"

The butler almost swore - the bastard _had_ been watching him!

"It's hard not to. Your reactions to little things are very interesting these days. You're not nearly as proper as you used to be, in fact you seem much more like you were when you were a

boy."

"I can't imagine why _that_ might be..." Walter replied sarcastically.

"Now, now. Don't get upset." The vampire's grin revealed his sharp teeth "It's just an observation. If anything, it's quite refreshing to have you back to your young arrogant self. You were

getting predictable before."

"Oh goody, I'm either a disrespectful little brat or I'm old and crusty. Anything other revelations for me?" Walter asked acidly, feeling offended at the analysis.

Alucard ignored Walters tone and answered his original question.

"So you want to know about familiars, my dear Angel of Death? Well the thing about them is this; once consumed into a vampire they have no freedom, no privacy and no release except

when they die again. But even then, its not always a quick sentence for them, some of mine had to wait hundreds of years before they died a second time.

I see them in a pragmatic light, those souls inside of me got eaten and so they should be considered as food; they'll stay inside me, they'll sustain me or aid me when I need them to but

ultimately I view them all as disposable. You don't ask your food whether it want's to be digested when you're human after all, so why do it as a vampire?"

Walter nodded, he supposed that arguement made sense if you looked on it from that point of view.

Alucard grimaced "But the Police girl... she doesn't think that way at all. She sees her new familiar as a person, not a tool. Perhaps it was the circumstances that led to it, or perhaps it's

just her way. But no matter the reason, in her head people are entitled to go where they please and say what they want which is why her familiar has such freedom. It's a ridiculously

human notion, but she won't change her mind on the matter."

"Yes. She does have a certain stubbornness about her, doesn't she?" Walter agreed with an indulgent smile.

Alucard's eyes went shrewd "I have a few questions for you Walter."

"Me?" Walter asked curiously "Alright, quid pro quo. I'll give you something since you gave me something."

"Why are so interesting in learning about familiars?" Alucard asked.

Walter blinked "Well, no real reason. Seras' little partner keeps irritating me. I was hoping to discover an 'off' button or something."

"You could always kill him." the No King suggested "That works for me when I'm irritated at one of my familiars."

"Unfortunately we're all on the same side Alucard. Besides, Sir Integra would never stand for it."

The nosfiratu grinned "Yes... and Seras' feelings have nothing to do with your decision making process." his voice was silken, mockery evident in the soft purring tone.

Walter's put on his best poker face and he replied "Did your feelings affect me when I had to do my duty, Alucard?"

He excused himself and left the vampire to think on that for a while.

* * *

For the next few days things were fairly quiet, Seras had came and went at various times as she went back to the scene to question people and look around. She seemed genuinely

relieved to have a purpose that took her away from the Hellsing manor. Walter on the other hand wasn't too happy to see her gone, he was getting concerned about her reaction to him.

He wondered if he'd been a bit too forward with her and scared her off him. That would be very annoying.

He shrugged and returned to the business at hand, he was busy going through his regular chores. So far he'd washed the dishes, cleaned the rooms, polished the silver, prepared this

evenings appetiser to save time later and he'd just now finished filing all the reports that had been submitted... and he wasn't slightly tired yet. He smiled happily, there were true

benefits to his restored youth; he was making excellent time! It occurred to him that he'd better check the hour... he wasn't surprised to find it was nearly evening and Sir Integra hadn't

left her office all day, which meant she was very busy with whatever Seras was investigating.

As her butler, he'd formerly been privy to almost everything that went on in the house and organisation. He was a little saddened that he wasn't able to go back to that rather elevated

level of trust, for as Pip had so rudely proven a few days ago it would be a very long time before he was trusted so implicitly again. If at all.

Well he could only work to change that, couldn't he? At least he now had time on his side.

He waved off the idle thoughts and headed off to make dinner for Sir Hellsing, noting if she didn't contact him soon that he'd have to take her food to her office instead of the dining room.

In the kitchen he found the pan waiting on the side where he'd left it only a few hours ago. He lifted the lid and smelled it... and allowed himself the pleasure of admitting it was rather

good. Tonights meal was going to be a little rustic but it would go down well with all the work Integra had been putting in, he would serve his home made soup with some bread which

would be followed shortly after by a chicken dish with a side salad. Sir Integra cared little for sweet things except sometimes sugar in her tea.

Walter smiled as he turned the soup on to warm it through, then set about the rest. tossing the salad, cutting up the vegetables and tomatoes then cutting up the chicken. As he turned

the steaming soup off he then cut up a thick loaf into a few manageable slices. As an after thought he put a little pepper into the soup before he served it.

He knocked gingerly on the door of the office a few minutes later, the tray and condiments on a small trolley beside him.

"Come" came the voice of Sir Integra.

He opened the door "It's Walter ma'am. Dinner is ready."

The woman frowned and glanced at the clock on the wall "It is? God, where does the time go?" she muttered "Very well. I'll have it in here."

The butler smiled fondly at her and replied "Yes I thought you would Sir. Hold on." he brought the trolley in as Integra put her work to one side for the moment. A few minutes later he

collected her finished reports and removing the trolley from the room to leave her eating the soup, which he was delighted to hear her regard as 'excellent'.

He popped the reports away into the files along with the others and hurried back to the kitchen to finish the main meal.

A short while later he returned with the evenings main course and collected the empty bowl. "There's more soup left if you'd care for it later or for lunch tomorrow." he informed her, she

nodded and started on the main course. He smiled at the appetite.

Integra looked up a little guiltily "Sorry Walter, this is the first substantial meal I've had for a while."

He shook his head "No ma'am, quite alright. You eat up." he encouraged her.

She chuckled "You're talking like you used to when I was still a little girl."

Walter smiled politely "Yes, I suppose I do sound that way sometimes." he went silent as he reflected for a moment, he was broken out of it by Integra's voice.

"Would you mind sitting down Walter. I'd rather you weren't standing over me."

The bulter bowed and obliged. The young woman looked at him for a moment and asked "I don't suppose there's any wine to go with this?"

Walter felt embarrased he'd forgotten to order some more ""My deepest apologies Sir. I used the last on the carpets to help remove the stains after you..." he cleared his throat "After

our meeting over my conduct with Seras."

Integra shrugged "Never mind, alcohol's an unhealthy vice anyway."

"Indeed it is, Sir." Walter agreed.

When she finished her meal he rose "Would you care for a cigar, Sir?" he offered as he went over to a mahogany box on the side table across the room

Integra nodded gratefully, ignoring the hypocrisy of the action.

As she smoked, Walter cleared away the dishes from the office and took them downstairs. After he'd finished washing them up and put them away he returned to find Integra looking out

the window into the night sky.

"That's becoming a trend these days" he commented as he approached.

"What is?" Integra asked.

"Star gazing." he replied "Alucard does it frequently these days."

Integra didn't seem surprised and she didn't comment.

Walter watched her for a moment. She looked tired and worn out, but her eyes were strong and resolute as ever. As always there seemed a quality to her, she always gave the

impression that she could command the nation if she were of a mind to do it herself.

"You're so much like your father." he whispered, more to himself than to her.

But she reacted and turned to face him "How so?" she asked softly, she looked curious but there was also something else in her eyes... almost as thought she were worried about what

he was going to say.

It was the young girls need for the approval that her father could no longer give, and Walter felt a lump of emotion form in his throat for his young master.

After another moment he replied "He seemed so confident and in control. Nothing disturbed him. I see the same quality in you more and more these days. It's a good thing in a leader."

Integra nodded "I want to ask you something."

"Of course Sir."

"What did you think of my father?" she looked him in the eyes "and I don't want a loyal answer Walter, I want an honest one which is why I'm asking you. What did you really think of

Arthur Hellsing?"

Walter thought about Arthur Hellsing.

A man who had once commanded his greatest respect and trained him up to make him into the most useful tool for the Hellsing family, but also a man who'd made him do despicable

things to Alucard in an attempt to break the vampires rebellious nature.

Hmm...

To tell the truth the man himself had been a bit of an enigma; on one hand he was a well respected, powerful and charismatic leader who'd held done his duty to the letter and been a fair

and generous Master, but on the other he had been a devious and ruthless man who happily whored and drank heavily as a means to counter the stress of the job before he met

Integra's mother...

Well none of the latter things were anything a daughter wanted to know about her father.

"I... can't always say I condoned his vices, but I always admired him as a man." He finally answered.

"Is this an awkward subject?" she asked.

"I don't feel comfortable talking about my previous employer." he admitted.

"Well thank you for doing it Walter, now I'd like 'yes' or 'no' answers for these questions."

Walter relaxed "Very well Sir."

"If my father had done something I wouldn't like to hear about, would you have not told me in order to protect me?"

"Yes."

Integra was silent for a while. Then she spoke.

"Is there anything else that I should know about my father Walter? Something bad?"

"Only what you already know Sir. He did what he had to do, like you sometimes do now, and he made mistakes of course but remember that he was only human and we can't change the

past. We can only look to it as a means of better understanding ourselves."

They were silent for a while. Integra thought about Walter's response as she lit a cigar and started to smoke it.

Walter eventually found it appropriate to ask "What brought this on Sir? You've never once before asked for my opinion of your father."

Integra laughed and looked uncomfortable "It's nothing Walter. Forget I mentioned it."

"No really Sir, I'd like to know. I won't laugh if it sounds silly."

Integra sighed and looked out at the stars again "I don't really know myself. It's been annoying me. A little while ago I had a talk with Seras. She was upset over something but didn't

want to tell me what. A 'private matter' or something like that. Then a few days ago before you woke me up for that telephone call I remember Alucard whispering to

me that people have been covering up some of my fathers mistakes for my sake. I just wondered if they might somehow be connected..."

Walter stopped breathing when she said that... _Oh God no_. Alucard wouldn't think twice about mentioning their little secret to Sir Integra if she asked him!

She frowned "Is something wrong?"

Walter shook his head "No Sir. But you'll have to excuse me. I've just remembered some chores I need to finish before I turn in, but it won't take long. Perhaps we can continue this

conversation after I finish them?"

"Can't they wait?"

"I'd rather they didn't Sir. I don't want to disturb your rest later on."

She sighed "Go on then Walter. But hurry up, I don't want to be left waiting."

* * *

**Please R+R.**


	16. For the good of my Master

****

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.**

**

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**

Walter waited till he was down the first flight of stairs in case Sir Integra was listening to him leave. He didn't want to around suspicion about his sudden departure from her room, but when he was sure he was far away enough that she wouldn't hear he abandoned the caution and broke into a run.  
He flung open the door to the ground floors corridors and opened the secret passage to the under levels of the manor, his hurried footsteps echoed down the gloomy passage and when he reached the vampires 'domain' - the polished black coffin that dominated the rear end of the room he'd made his own lair underneath the house - the butler all but flung it open to find the vampire underneath it, eyes closed and fast asleep.  
He grabbed the taller man by the lapels of his jacket and hauled him out.  
"Unh-?" Alucard grunted.  
"What the bloody hell are you playing at?" Walter snapped into the others face.  
Alucard shook his head and squinted "What time is it?"  
"Evening, or close enough. We need to talk." the Butler cut off any protest from the vampire. As he looked at his hands on the vampire's jacket he noted with curiosity that he had fallen back into the aged form of a sixty year old... now when had he done that?  
He must have done it when he'd headed into Sir Integra's room with her dinner. It wasn't important.

Alucard grunted and yawned, lifting up his sunglasses and rubbing his eyes "This had better be important..." he growled "Or you'll regret waking me up early when your work load doubles over the next three days."  
"I'll be the one to make the threats here Alucard." Walter warned the vampire.  
"Hmm only a true vampire for a few days and already making attempts to be the big dog." Alucard smirked "Well I have to admire your confidence Walter."  
"I don't want to be anything but Sir Integra's butler!" Walter snapped testily "Now answer me, what exactly did you say to her a few evenings ago in her sleep?"  
Alucard blinked and his face broke into a toothy grin "Oh? So she's finally asking questions?"  
Walter's eyes narrowed and he had to refrain from slapping the vampire around his face "This is serious!"  
"Then why am I so amused?" Alucard asked humorously.  
"I don't care! Now tell me!" The butler all but shrieked.  
"Don't disgrace yourself Walter" Alucard chuckled "You'll lose that reputation you've worked so hard to retain as a gentleman."  
Walter trembled in anger but took a deep breath as advised.

When the butler had taken a few breaths and looked a bit less hysterical the vampire stepped out of his 'domain'.  
"Better." Alucard approved as the butler moved for him, the tall vampire went over to hsi imposing chair and settled down "Now tell me everything."  
The vampire's tone was low and authoritative, Walter found it very soothing.  
"Well, she's asking questions about her father. She says you were whispering to her." the servant shot a sullen look at Alucard.  
"Oh? What sort of questions?" Alucard smiled secretively.  
"How he was as a man, mostly. But my honest opinion. Then she asked if there was anything I wanted to confess to her."  
Alucard's removed his glasses and looked carefully at the butler, the smirk remaining on his face "And was there Walter?"  
"Of course not! What could I possibly say? 'Oh by the way Sir, it's probably nothing but your father ordered me to defile your finest agent as an example, but other than that he was quite a capital fellow?' you think I want to hurt her like that?"  
Alucard said nothing and continued to look into Walter's eyes.

The butler raised his hands beseechingly "What did you say to her?" he pleaded.  
"Well, I mentioned that her father wasn't the great man she thought him as, and if she asked the right people she might learn a little more about him."  
"Why? Why would you do that? I thought-" Walter shook his head "Oh, never mind!" he said and turned away.  
"What? You thought... what?" Alucard called after him. Walter ignored his question and walked out of the room.  
As he reached the stairs he felt a hand on his shoulder. He paused in his tracks.  
"You thought what about me?" Alucard repeated more insistently.  
Walter shook his head "It doesn't matter." he muttered, his emotions stirring inside him.  
"But it does." the rich purr tickled his ear. The gloved hand reached from his shoulder to his cheek and a single finger stroked down it "Tell me Walter." he crooned.  
The butler swallowed, his mouth had gone dry and he didn't know how to work his limbs anymore... all he could focus on was that voice.  
It was all in the hands of the vampire, it was as though his touch had the means to rob you of sensible thought.  
Walter looked weakly at his shadow which was rapidly shrinking and becoming softer. He was becoming the child that was being questioned about his elders and betters.

"I'm waiting Walter" Alucard whispered into his ear, sending shivers down the boys spine "Tell me."  
"I... I thought..." Walter couldn't control his mouth, which had gone dry. He trembled beneath the touch and his eyes closed miserably as he felt the vampires gaze going through into his mind.  
There was a few moments as Alucard looked around, all of Walter's secret's and subconscious thoughts as clear to his as thought they were written in a book. After he'd found what he sought he withdrew from Walter's mind with a chuckle.  
"That's quite an imagination you have little Angel." his hand went up to twine into the boys thick hair.  
"The thought of you talking to her in her sleep... it just seemed to suggest that you'd spent the night with her." Walter murmered.  
"And that thought displeases you...?"  
Walter weakly shook his head "...No."  
"Good." Alucard approved and stroked his hair. The vampire leaned down "But unfortunately you've interfered with a little game I've been playing for years with her now."  
"What game?" the boy asked quietly.  
"It doesn't matter." Alucard ignored him "What did you come down here to accomplish?"

"I wanted you to..." he shivered and clenched his eyes shut as Alucard invaded his mind once again.  
"To stop me telling her...? That's not going to happen Walter. if I want to tell her then I will" Alucard promised.  
"You mustn't!" Walter begged "Please! You can't!"  
"Why not?"  
"For God's sake have some pity on her!"  
Alucard's grip went tight and he snarled "She's a Hellsing! What pity do they deserve from me? Did Van Hellsing show pity when he bound me to this? Did he think about my feelings when he stole my fortune and my castle? This family has taken everything from me! I've had to serve them for years; silent, obedient, a mere extension of their will! Why _should_ I show pity?"  
"She... she's not Arthur or Abraham..." Walter whimpered in pain as Alucards hand squeezed his head painfully.

"No, she isn't. But she could become them." Alucard said "Abraham, a holy man and doctor succumbed to greed and robbed me of everything I possessed. Arthur, a virtuous man, succumbed to power and let it corrupt him till he was whoring and drinking and abusing that power through you and me. It took the love of a woman and child to make him change his ways and Abraham died too soon for his darker vices to corrupt his children, but what will Integra do?"  
Walter whispered "I'm begging you. I'll do anything but don't tell her!"  
Alucard's grip lessened "Anything Walter. Now that is a dangerous promise."  
"I will do anything so long as you let her live and think of her father as a good man!"  
Alucard's eyes widened in joy at the promise. He looked at the butler for a moment more then released him.

Walter gasped in pain as he was released from the hold and he rubbed his head.  
"Done."  
Walter looked around and up at the grinning vampire "Your word Alucard?" he demanded with determined eyes "Your word you won't break your promise?"  
"I said we had a deal." Alucard growled.  
The vampire and the butler stared at each other for a long moment. Walter nodded and went to go.  
He was stopped as the vampire spoke up.  
"If you are to be my servant, there is one more thing I want."

Walter looked around "What's that?"  
The vampire smiled nastily "I want to know everything about you, Walter Dolneaz." he said softly "I _must_ know everything. I must own every thing of you. Now let me take a look."  
"NO!" Walter cried out and flung himself away from the vampire.  
Alucard laughed as the boy fell onto the stairs and clung to them as though they were the only solid things left in the world.  
The boy trembled and looked up in fear at the vampire. "N-not that!" he whimpered.  
"I want to know and this is the best way." Alucard said quietly and leaned down.  
"No, please! No more! I can't stand you being inside my head!" Walter begged and retreated further up the stairs.  
"Come here, little boy." Alucard whispered lowly "Don't forget your promise so quickly..." he coaxed.

Walter's hands were white where he gripped the stones "I won't let you go in my head again!" he vowed "I promised to do anything, but I'm a human being, I'm not your toy!"  
Alucard chuckled menacingly and his eyes flashed red.  
Walter was near the top of the stairs when the secret door slammed shut behind him. The corridors lights went out. Walter was alone in the darkness.  
"Wrong." Alucard replied lowly. Walter looked up to see red eyes looking down on him.  
He trembled and made a low whimper.  
"You're my servant now, you'll serve Integra's needs as well as my own"  
The gloved white hand came out of the gloom and grabbed Walter by his hair.  
The boy cried out in pain in the darkness, the sobbed pitifully as the vampire looked deep into his soul...  
"Snivelling child." Alucard scoffed "Where's your dignity?"  
"I- I don't know!" Walter cried "You've taken it by doing this to me!"  
"Oh no butler, you did this to you. All for your beloved master." he mocked "Now quiet down."  
When it was done Alucard pulled his hand off, quite pleased with himself.  
Walter dried his eyes and stood shakily, glaring angrily at the Count.  
Alucard looked back evenly "Do you regret that promise?"  
Walter softly replied "Never. I promised to serve her best interests and if by doing this I protect her from the truth, then I fulfil my obligations to the Hellsing family."  
Alucard sneered "Well, we'll see. All in good time."

* * *

**Please R+R**


	17. Utterly Futile

**I do not own Hellsing, or any of its related characters, this is a fanfic.**

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Walter weakly pushed open the door and entered the corridor of the manor house. He leaned on the closest wall and tried to stop the dizziness and nausea that was in his system. What had he done to himself? He'd made a deal with Alucard and for what - the memory of a dead man? Why should it be so important that he'd give up all his dignity just so Integra didn't find out about some of her father's dirty secrets?  
But as he asked himself the question he remembered a conversation almost two decades old...

* * *

_The butler waited patiently in the corner of the room. Sir Arthur leaned down over the little girl in her large bed and kissed her softly on the forehead._  
_"Good night, my little girl. Sweet dreams." the Master whispered to his daughter._  
_The little blonde girl looked up with large blue eyes into her father's face, which bore the proud smile of a father for his beloved child._  
_"Father?" the little girl whispered "Are you going to be gone long?"_  
_"It's a conference with Islands and some others my dear. You remember Islands from a few months ago, one of my old friends from university?"_  
_The girl nodded affirmation and her father sat down on the bed and stroked her cheek softly. _  
_"Well he and I need to talk to some men about something, and it's very important we do it sooner rather than later."_  
_"Is it about vampires?" the girl asked. _  
_So young and yet so intelligent, Walter thought, smiling in quiet admiration of the girl._  
_Arthur shook his head with a chuckle "If only! No I face something even more scary than vampires my dear, I face the treasury department! They're blood suckers too though I suppose. But don't worry, your daddy will send them with their tails between their legs. I'll be tonight." he promised her._  
_As the Master bade his little girl a final goodnight, Walter escorted him out of the room and to the lobby._  
_"You'll keep an eye on her for me won't you Walter? Make sure she's soundly asleep by nine." Arthur asked for the dozenth time as he ran his hand through his growing beard._  
_"As always Sir." Walter bowed dutifully "I shall check on the hour, every hour until satisfied she is asleep."_  
_"Good man, thankyou. Well then, 'night Walter."_

_"Sir?" Walter called as the leader donned a coat and went to open the door "Where are you going to go after the meeting?"_  
_The leader winced at the question but his hand still gripped the door knob "I am meeting with Islands Walter and then after I tell the treasury department where they can shove their statements I'm coming home. My days of foolery are behind me."_  
_Walter said nothing. So long as his master took drink, which he was going to at some point since he was meeting an old friend like Islands, then the chance he might consider the other bad habits of old were still there... and it had been some time since Arthur's wife had passed away. _  
_So the duty fell to Walter to ensure his Master didn't stray._  
_Arthur saw the anxious expression on the butler face "What?" he asked with a frown._  
_"It's nothing Sir." Walter said, making his face go neutral "Will that be all?"._  
_"You don't believe me do you?" Arthur said sadly._  
_"I'm afraid history has proven I can't completely take you at your word anymore Sir."_  
_Arthur sighed "I vowed to love no one by my wife when I married her." he muttered under his breath "Why does everyone seem to forget that?"._

_"I'm sorry Sir. Please forgive me for saying this but your wife is no longer with us." Walter reminded him " and I can see that it still upsets you, which I take comfort in by knowing your love for her is as strong as ever." he continued as a shadow passed over Arthur's eyes "and the last thing I would want would be for you to feel you betrayed her memory by seeking comfort in the arms of some harlot because you'd taken too much alcohol."_  
_"But I wouldn't!" Arthur insisted "I don't do that sort of thing when I'm drunk!"_  
_"You did before you met her Sir. You've done lots of regrettable things when you were drunk Sir."_

_Arthur, knowing full well what Walter was talking about, went pale with anger "I thought we agreed we wouldn't speak about that when we sealed him away..."_  
_"With respect Sir I agreed to nothing of the sort. Drunk or not, you knew what you were ordering me to do was a cruel act of betrayal."_  
_"I told you before, it had to be you! The vampire's never been as close with anyone before as he was with you! Even afterwards he still treated you with some kind of regard! You know the stories my father told me about Alucard before he was bound to Abraham Van Hellsing? He's a monster who killed his own people as well as his enemies! He nearly let you get killed in Warsaw because he didn't feel like helping you - or have you forgotten that? What was I supposed to do, let him get away with it and then maybe start thinking back to the good old days when he didn't have to answer to a Master?"_

_"I don't know Sir."_

_"No. You can't understand because you don't feel the link between me and him." Arthur replied tartly "But I have to live with it! I know him as no one else does, and I'm all that stops him from being unleashed on the unsuspecting public once again. The only way to get through to Alucard is to show no mercy when you deal with him which I why I used his only friend to hurt him. You have to be a monster to deal with something like Alucard. That's why we enslaved him, robbed him of choice and took away everything we possibly could from him before we started using him for our own means. We needed to show that monster he was dealing with people who could be just as cruel as he was!"_

_"Perhaps like you, he had also changed with time. Perhaps he's learned from his mistakes like you say you have with yours." Walter suggested mildly._  
_"Don't be naive Walter!" Arthur snapped "That monster won't change, his mind will only get more devious with time!" he sighed and the two men looked at each other for a long moment. Walter would never drop this subject and he made sure his master saw that in his eyes. Finally Arthur spoke softly._  
_"Look, do me a favour old chap? Don't tell Integra about it. Tell her anything else you want about me, the whoring, the drinking... I don't care about those. But don't ever let her know of some of the things I've done to in the name of keeping England safe."_  
_Walter nodded, it was as close to a admission of guilt about the rape that Sir Arthur had (or ever would) come to giving anyone. _  
_"She'll never know Sir" he promised "If she ever has to release and take control of Alucard then I'll make sure she doesn't follow know about it."_

* * *

In a moment of anger the butler struck the wall with a fist. When he looked at the clenched knuckles they were the hands of an old man.  
A stupid old man who was far too old to be acting so childishly... Walter sighed bitterly. Why were promises the bane of his life?  
First a promise to Arthur to do as he was told to Alucard, then a promise not to tell Integra what he'd done, then a promise to Alucard to give him whatever he desired in exchange for his silence on the subject.  
He'd made those damn promises and now he couldn't break one oath without jeapordising the other one!  
He ran his hands over his face and groaned.  
"Oh god...!" he moaned "Does it never bloody end? What about _my_ damn choice in the matter?" he shouted angrily. In a rage he slammed a foot into the wall and a picture fell off its hook.

"Walter?" a voice called in alarm "Are you alright?"  
He looked up and saw the peppy blonde running towards him down the corridor. Seras must have returned from her mission whilst he was with Alucard...  
It occured to him that she was yet another complication these days. She was a romantic interest that his master clearly dissapproved of, somone who was far too young for him... and yet she was the only person who would let him to behave as the younger man he felt like without making him feel angry or embarrased when he did so.  
He looked at her for a moment and then he laughed and leaned back against a wall, God it was all going pear shaped!  
He tried to contain himself but it was no good. A slightly hysterical giggle escaped his lips and then it started to grow louder.  
Seras paused a few feet away, her face a mask of worry and concern "W- Walter?" she asked nervously.

The bulter knew he had to look crazy, his hair was a mess and he was leant up against a wall and he was now laughing uncontrollably after she'd just seen him raging at angels!  
All he could do was raise a hand to reassure her and clamp a hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter as he tried to get a hold of himself.  
"So, nothing's wrong?" Seras slowly translated his motion into words "Are you sure Walter?" her voice was guarded and careful as though she were speaking to a child.  
Walter closed his eyes and took a long deep breath as he smoothed his hair down.  
"Well..." he whispered softly and cleared his throat "Well, actually no, everything is not alright..."

Seras nodded and crouched so she was just knelt next to him, she looked into his eyes "What is it?" she asked him softly.  
"It's..." Walter swallowed and shook his head "Something I can't tell you Seras. It's too complicated."  
"Yeah?" Seras said. She looked unconvinced "I don't think so. Come on Walter, try me." she crossed her arms over her chest.  
"It's got something to do with your master and me. I can't say more." he said softly.  
"Why?" she asked innocently, looking at him with large blue eyes.  
Walter shook his head, ashamed to tell her the truth "If you don't mind Seras, I just want to be alone for a bit."  
He'd never felt more miserable.  
It must have shown because Seras looked at him for a moment and then she leaned in and pulled the old man into an embrace.  
"Oh Walter..." she sighed "What are we going to do with you?" she asked him softly as she stroked his hair.

The butler had prided himself on never being seen as weak and always being the strong one for eveyone. But here, all alone in Seras arms, after having all his mind violated by Alucard and now feeling the burden of a debt that was decades old back on his shoulders as well as the weight of a new one that might last even longer, the Butler had never a more overwhelming urge to cry.  
So Walter lowered his head, closed his eyes and squeezed them shut. As he did so, the tears began to fall.  
The old man let out a shaky breath before the tremors overcame his body and he broke down in Seras arms.  
"Why can't I just be selfish for once?" he hissed angrily into Seras shoulder "Why can't I just say 'no' to people?"  
She didn't undertand what he was talking about, but as stroked and soothed the old man she resolved she was going to find out.

* * *

Beneath them Alucard looked up and grinned. Walter was an interesting one all right, he'd never dreamed his old friend would make such a desperate bet for the sake of keeping Arthur's little secret! Poor Walter, he seemed to be forgetting who he was making deals with though, he was making deals with a man who was laready his master.  
Alucard had looked into his heart and his mind and he now knew what he wanted to do. If he wanted Walter to stay as he was, as a vampire who behaved like human, then he should keep that promise he'd made and let his old friend keep his secret from their master.

But Alucard didn't want Walter to stay as he was. That dark part he'd seen come out with the Frenchman was now seething and boiling over. Resentment, humiliation, anger, determination... these were integral to being a true nosfiratu. It wasn't about the power it was about the _will_ to be a true monster!  
Walter had ever hope of becoming a creature just as powerful as he was if he could be... persuaded... to lose some of those human notions that were holding his potential at bay.  
The butler a little monster when he was a boy, he'd torn through people and laughed contemptously at authority. He'd smoked, swore and prided himself on his abilities and held himself aloof with an arrogance that was quite becoming in one so young and proud. Somewhere in that mix he'd even found a way to condone rape under the pretense of being a good servant, and _still_ he'd somehow managed to be human despite it all!  
He'd been a little shit and Alucard had loved him for it.

Yes, years of training as a butler and his age setting in had removed most of these qualities from Walter, but they were coming back quickly. He was smoking again, he was showing defiance by messing around with Seras, he was getting his pride back because Alucard could see how much he was hurting right now...  
Alucard just needed a little more to push him with and Hellsing would have another true nosfiratu.

He'd forgiven the butler's actions with Millenium because Walter hadn't chosen to betray them, he'd been made to.  
He'd forgiven the rape beforehand because the time for revenge had passed, well, until now. He'd not known about Arthur's involvement for sure back then. He'd certainly not known about the little arrangement with Walter not to tell Integra...

The nosfiratu smirked and walked back to his throne and sat down in it, removing his sunglasses and steepling his fingers over his lap. He closed his eyes and concentrated on everything in the house Integra was still up but she would need to turn in soon if she wanted to get some rest. The Alucard would play his much loved game with her when she slept.  
But of course, she was expecting Walter to honour his promise of conversation so she might wait up a little longer tonight... he frowned.

Well, could it hurt to be a little sociable? If she wanted conversation then the butler was hardly in a state to have a good one with his Master right now.  
Alucard grinned toothily and stood up, he'd never promised not to say anthing about this little agreement to Integra had he? She was bound to ask the butler what was so important for her not to know that he'd pledged fealty to Alucard as well as her, and if he didn't say anything about it then Alucard would also inform her that Seras knew of the incident as well.  
Without Alucard breaking his promise not to tell her himself, one way or another Integra was going to find out about her father, and Walter couldn't stop it.  
Laughing at the futility of it all, he willed himself to go to his master and he vanished into the cold stone floors.

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Please R+R


End file.
